Time Of Your Life
by Gurrbill
Summary: From Angst to Humor and back again. Oneshots about the life of Jack Frost, the lonely immortal. Chapter Eleven: Sketchbook III; Time to return the sketchbook... But maybe there's something other than guilt to be felt in this...
1. Rock 'n' Roll

**Ok, so now that I'm making this in to a oneshot series, I'd like to clarify a few things :3 Here we go!**

**1. Warnings, ratings, description and included characters will be listed at the top of every chapter :)**

**2. Prompts and requests accepted and encouraged :D**

**3. And finally, no flames please ^-^**

**Now, let's get this show on the road!**

**Genre: Humour**

**Character(s): Bunnymund and Jack**

**Summary: Ooh, Jack's never gonna live this down...**

Not often did Bunny visit the North Pole - minus zero degrees tons and tons of snow, not to mention the constant loud noise meant that the pooka avoided it at all costs - but apparently there was an emergency this time, and Aster was needed.

Reluctantly, the pooka tapped his foot on the ground of his Warren, taking a breath to brace himself for the cold that was to come, before bounding down through the tunnel, silently cursing North.

What could be so important that he had to get his furry butt cold for it?

Thankfully, he tunnelled straight in to the workshop, saving himself from the Arctic weather. He held back a smirk as several yetis jumped after he'd popped up from the ground out of nowhere.

"Evenin' boys." He sarcastically, tipping an invisible hat to the workers, who grumbled in Yetish under their breath as the pooka sauntered off to find North.

Even after the amount of times he'd been to this place, he still got lost. The huge complex was just that: complex. Three floors, huge workrooms and a bunch of different offices and departments for researching which children were Naughty or Nice and what they would be getting for Christmas, before organising how many of certain toys they'd be making that year, not to mention actually making said toys - it was so confusing and busy. Bunny much preferred his Warren.

He sighed, preparing for himself to get lost once again. Even his sharp hearing couldn't make out the thick Russian accent of North through all the elves chattering and testing toys. May as well do it the old fashioned way: search.

Fifteen minutes later and he'd barely started. Despite his ability to run so fast, he'd only managed to check about twenty-seven different doors, and he still had no clue where the man might be.

He let out an irritated sigh as another door came in to view, just at the end of the hall. Great. Another one he'd have to check.

But (to the pooka's surprise) there wasn't the sound of squeaking elves, mumbling yetis or the whirr of toy biplanes as they flew through the air. No, it was music. Rock music, by the sounds of it. Really really loud rock music. He was surprised he hadn't heard it already.

Intrigued, the pooka walked forward, his paw reaching out to the door handle. As quietly as he could, he pushed it open. At the sight he saw, he had to use all of his will power not to burst out laughing.

In the center of the room, jumping around like a lunatic, was Jack.

It took a while for this to register in the pooka's brain.

The boy held his staff as though it were a guitar, strumming invisible cords while he mouthed every single word to the ear-splitting song blasting out of the nearby speakers, not taking the slightest notice of Bunny looking at him through the doorway.

Said pooka was beginning to lose it, his sides shaking with silent laughter as his emerald eyes began to tear up. Sure, his ears were hurting from the noise, and he'd hated rock music since the 50's, but this...

This was just absolutely brilliant blackmail material.

Unable to take it anymore, he burst out laughing, rolling back on to the floor as one of his flailing legs pushed the door. The boy froze mid-pose, on his knees with his staff held above his head, his eyes wide as he stared at the slowly opening door, revealing the laughing pooka outside.

He just wanted to melt in to the floor and never be seen or heard from again.

"B-Bunny?" He stuttered weakly, quickly standing up as though he had not just pretended to slide across a stage with a guitar held above his head to greet a crowd of imaginary fans.

Bunny's laughter got even louder as he glanced up from where he was lying. The pooka felt tears in his eyes and his sides were hurting he was laughing so much. And all Jack could do was sit there numbly, trying to form some sort of excuse in his head.

"Oh, you're never gonna live this down, Frostbite!"

And Jack could only gulp as he realised something.

Bunnymund wasn't ever, going to let this go.


	2. Lullaby

**Warnings: None**

**Rating: K**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Family**

**Character(s): Jack + Tooth **

**Summary: Tooth is busy on keeping her vow to get out in the field more often. On a trip to pick up Sophie's first tooth, she runs in to Jack, though not quite in the way she expected... (FairyFrost, if you want to see it that way.)**

The tooth fairy smiled to herself as she fluttered with a slight hum over the rooftops of Burgess. The cool night air was fresh on her face and she couldn't deny she loved the feel of it on her skin. It was icy, she noted. Jack must be around here somewhere, getting ready to bring winter to Burgess; but she couldn't visit him right now. She did have a job to do, after all.

Tonight was three days after Hallowe'en - and after hundreds of years of experience, she knew that this was a night for a lot of teeth to be falling out.

The hybrid hovered mid-air for a second, wondering which house to check first, before deciding on the Bennett home; ever since the defeat of Pitch two months ago, all the Guardians had been particularly fond of that house, Jack even more so. It was the home of the one boy who'd never stopped believing, not even for a minute. It only made sense that it was a special favourite to them.

She fluttered in to Jamie's room first, quiet as a mouse. To her dismay, however, no tooth was underneath the boys' pillow. With one final fond glance at the sleeping child, she crept out of the room and across the hallway to Sophie's bedroom.

Immediately, the fairy was assaulted with bright pink colours and teddy bears. The toddler herself was sprawled across her bed like a starfish, aside from one arm which was clutching what looked like a bunny rabbit teddy to her chest. Tooth couldn't help but giggle. The child's duvet was just covering her legs and her small snores filled the room. Her pyjamas were the ones she had been wearing when she'd first met the Guardians, and Tooth felt a smile grace her lips at that thought.

She zoomed over to the girls pillow and sure enough, a glint of white protruded from under the fabric. In a single swift movement, the tooth was replaced with a quarter. Quickly, the hybrid examined the incisor. It was in good condition for a two year old, but some of the enamel had been worn away. Too much sugar, probably.

Tooth tutted fondly, pocketing the small thing, before pulling the girls' blanket up a little more to keep her warm, and disappearing back to the open window in Jamie's room, taking off through the open window.

She had just been about to visit Monty's house when a strikingly familiar voice met her ears.

_"I see the moon, the moon sees me,_

_Shining through the leaves of the old oak tree,_

_Oh, let the light that shines on me,_

_Shine on the one I love..."_

The tooth fairy seemed to freeze in her place, hovering mid-air as the half-known voice flew on the breeze. She knew who was singing, didn't she?

But surely it wasn't?

She listened again, wondering if what she'd heard had been part of her imagination. After a few seconds, she was ready to believe it was, and prepared herself to get back to work. But once again, the voice cut through the night air, as well as her thoughts.

_"Over the mountain, over the sea,_

_Back where my heart is longing to be,_

_Oh, let the light that shines on me,_

_Shine on the one I love..."_

Immediately, the fairy's wings were beating a mile a minute, following the voice as it started to strike up another verse.

_"I hear the lark,_

_The lark hears me..."_

She was closer now. If it had been North or Sandy, they would've probably heard absolutely nothing, considering the song was being sang so quietly, but (aside from Bunny) Tooth had the sharpest hearing out of the five. No surprise really, considering she had to listen to the hurried squeaking of her Mini Fairies nearly 24/7.

The song continued.

_"Singing from the leaves of the old oak tree,_

_Oh, let the lark that sings to me,_

_Sing to the one I love..."_

She landed on the roof of a house near the lake, and finally, the hybrid found the source of the noise.

Perched atop a chimney stack, staring up at the moon as a leg dangled over the edge, was... Jack.

The fairy stared up at him, eyebrows furrowed. Jack had been... singing a lullaby?

More than a little confused, the fairy was about to make her presence known, but just as she opened her mouth, the winter spirit began to sing quietly to himself again.

_"Over the mountains, over the sea,_

_Back where my heart is longing to be,_

_Oh, let the lark that sings to me,_

_Sing to the one I love..."_

Tooth felt her heart break as the boy's voice broke on the last word. She could see the silhouette of him shaking a little against the shine of the moon, barely audible sobs escaping out of his mouth as he drew his knees up to his chest, burying his face in them. His staff lay forgotten beside on the roof, as though he didn't care whether or not it rolled off the tiles and snapped in half.

The fairy bit her lip; her first instinct told her to go and comfort him, try to make him feel better, to find out what was wrong, but her self restraint told her otherwise. Jack hated being seen as vulnerable - the Guardians had learnt that much. Perhaps it would be better if she left now, rather than making the situation awkward for the spirit.

But her instinct won over reason, and she fluttered up to him slowly, gently placing a gentle hand on his shaking shoulder when she finally reached him.

The other Guardian snapped around and stared at her like a wild animal, frozen tears clinging to his eyelashes and solid against his pale skin. His eyes were puffy, and his hands were clenched so tightly that Tooth knew that his nails were being embedded in to his skin..

"T-Tooth?" He sniffled, quickly wiping his tears away with his hand, "What-?"

"It's okay, Jack." She interrupted, sitting down beside him on the chimney stack, gossamer wings folded against her back, her hand never straying from his shoulder. It was no longer shaking, she realised.

He was already trying to bottle it up, scared of showing any sign of weakness in front of her.

She tried to give him what she hoped was an encouraging smile. "Where did you learn that lullaby?" She asked softly, "It's very beautiful."

The other seemed a little taken aback by her question, his eyes widening ever so slightly as his hands twisted around themselves, still wrapped around his knees. She hoped she hadn't asked him the wrong question already.

It was a whole minute before he answered.

"My... My mom..." He said slowly, looking up at the sky, the look on his face akin to a lost child, "She used to sing it to me all the time when I was a kid." He turned to face the fairy, "Ironic, huh?"

She hated how bitter his voice sounded.

"Your mother..." She repeated the words, foreign on her tongue. The thought of Jack Frost, the lone rebel without a cause, the boy who'd been forgotten for three hundred years, having a mother... Well, it was just absurd.

"You saw her then." She said quietly, "In your memories, I mean."

Tooth's eyes softened as the boy smiled sadly, looking down at his knees, white bangs falling over his eyes. "Yeah," he answered, "She was the nicest person ever. Every single night for six years she sang me that song till I went to sleep... Stories too. She told me so many." He glanced up at the sky, seeing something that Tooth obviously couldn't. "She looked after us so well... I wonder what... what happened after-" he stopped abruptly, realising what he'd almost said. He bit down on his tongue, cursing himself silently.

Tooth couldn't help but let her curiosity get the better of her. Ever since getting Jack's memories back, the fairy had resisted the great temptation to peak at his past life held in that tiny golden case, yet here he was, nearly telling her himself. She was very tempted to outright ask him then and there, but she'd never push for answers - she cared about the spirit too much to put pressure on him like that.

Instead, she said in a comforting tone. "You don't have to tell me anything, Jack-"

"No," he interjected, looking her in the eye with a rock solid gaze, "I want to. I really want to." He added as she looked at him with disbelief, "Its been resting on my shoulders ever since I... found out." The boy admitted, his voice faraway, "It's just..." He sighed, bringing a hand up to rub his temple, eyes shut tightly as though he were suffering from a headache, "... it's so difficult."

The fairy reached down, and gave his free hand a squeeze.

"Just start from the beginning."

The spirit squirmed uncomfortably, reaching for his staff beside him. The only thing besides the wind that had given him hope for the past three hundred years. He clutched it so tightly in his hands that his knuckles turned a startling white.

"I was the son of a shepherd," he said after a deep breath, "I had a mother, a father and... a little sister."

Tooth noted the little spark that shone in his icy orbs as he spoke of his sister.

"I remember a lot of things. Most about my sister - Rose, her name was. Or Rosie. She liked Rosie more." A smile curved across his lips, taking a little pride in this tiny detail. It made his sister seem more real, not just as a memory, but as a real, living, breathing person made of flesh and blood. Someone who had cared about him and loved him as much as the Guardians did, if not more.

"We lived right here in Burgess." He said fondly, "Poor, sure - but we lived. And we... we were happy."

The fairy felt her heart wrench a little at the hurt in the boy's voice. It must've been so painful for him to talk about this.

"Jack, you really don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She assured him, grasping his hand tightly in her own.

"No, no - I'll tell you," he protested, continuing with his story.

"Every winter, Mom would let me and Rosie go ice skating. It was sorta like a tradition, ever since Rosie could walk. Every morning that the lake was frozen over, she'd come bounding up to me to wake me up," he laughed a little, "And she was a lot stronger than she looked, too. Pulled me out of bed more times than I can count."

"She sounds a lot like you," Tooth blurted out. Jack stared at her confused. The fairy rolled her violet eyes in a playful way, "You know - stronger than you look. Energetic too. And always eager to get outside in the cold."

He gave her a laugh, "Yeah, I guess you're right, Tooth. She was a lot like me."

That thought seemed to make him happier, but not for long though. Almost immediately, his eyes seemed to darken, and Tooth felt a drop of sleet fall on to her face as the sky rumbled above. A storm was brewing.

"Well... We went out to ice skate again one winter..." He swallowed, even though his mouth was dry, forcing his words out. "The winter I became immortal."

The way he said it as if it were a death sentence caused tears to prick at the back of Tooth's eyes.

"I... I remember her on the ice. She was so scared. See, I'd been... I'd been too stupid to see that the ice wasn't thick enough, that it wasn't safe enough," he struggled with the next sentence, his voice wavering, "I nearly - I nearly lead Rosie to her death."

He sounded so ashamed, and his voice threatened to break on every syllable. But still, he carried on.

"So I'd told her that we - we were gonna play a game. 'Have a little fun instead'." He recited the words off by heart, the scene playing out in his minds eye, his heart beating harder against his ribs, as if it were trying to escape, "It was hop-scotch. We were gonna play hopscotch to get off the ice."

The fairy felt like a knot was being tightened in her stomach. She knew what was to happen, just by the way Jack's voice became increasingly heavier.

"It worked you know," he nodded, more to himself than to her, "I managed to pull her to safety with this," he twirled his staff in his hand, as if to demonstrate his point, "But I just... I guess I just wasn't... fast enough."

He sounded as if he despised himself for dying, as if it was his fault.

"It hurt, Tooth." He admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, his body shivering as he remembered the pain, "It was so... dark. And cold. It was like my lungs were on fire. I was so scared, Tooth."

She felt tears pouring down her own face now, like miniature crystals. It was one of those rare moments in time - where Jack wasn't the hero, nor was he the invulnerable, mischievous spirit they all knew who was too happy to cry. He was just a scared boy, longing for a home and a family.

Unable to take it anymore, she threw her arms around him in a hug, pulling him tightly in to her embrace, wishing she never had to let go. And he let her hug him, welcomed it even. To be touched and cared for and noticed after three hundred years... It was all he'd ever wanted.

"I left her all alone, Tooth. I left them all behind and now I can't change anything about it." He sobbed in to her feathers, voice muffled.

"But you saved her, Jack." She whispered, looking down at the spirit leaning against her chest. "You saved her and she lived on. She probably told stories of her brother to others all the time - stories about the bravest person she'd ever known." She added, her fingers absently stroking his hair as he shook, "You lived on in her memory - and I should know a lot about memories, considering."

She felt him smile a little against her, and took it as a sign to keep talking.

"And I know you'll never be able to replace the family you had Jack, I know," she said gently, looking down at him, "But you have us. We'll always be there for you, even Bunny, though he'll never admit it."

Her words hung in the air for a few moments, before the spirit finally looked up at her.

"You won't leave me?" He asked, looking at her with wide eyes. Hopeful, trusting, vulnerable.

"Never."


	3. Blood And Ice

**Warnings: Mentions of blood**

**Rating: T (because I'm paranoid)**

**Genre: Is surprise a genre?**

**Character(s): Jack + all the Guardians**

**Summary: They all knew Jack was a warrior - a good one at that - but they still hadn't seen the full extent of his ability. That is, until now...**

**xoxoxoxox**

"I believe he is up to something."

Tooth nodded at North's statement, her hand on her chin as she fluttered about the globe room, like she was pacing, "Every day, ever since we defeated Pitch, he's been acting... strange."

"'Strange' don't cover it, Tooth," Bunny said from the corner, toying with one of his boomerangs thoughtfully, "Bandages on his hands, hood always up - mate, he barely speaks a word to any of us anymore. I mean, I know he's been alone fer a long time, but that don't give 'im reason to blank us..."

Sandy nodded at the Guardian of Hope's musings. His sand started to form pictures above his head - an empty square with an equals sign pointing to Jack, followed by a question mark.

"I do not know either Sandy," North sighed pinching the bridge of his nose as he leaned against his fireplace, "None of us knows what is causing Jack to be this way."

The four of them thought in silence for another moment.

It had been like this for a whole month now.

North had just assumed the winter spirit had been getting used to the idea of having a family and becoming a Guardian, but it revealed itself to be much more than that after a week.

The boy had been called to a meeting - a bi-monthly one, just to catch up on things and ensure Pitch was well and truly gone - but when he'd arrived... Well, safe to say he looked a little worse for wear.

He'd tried hiding them under his hood - the bruises on his face - and he'd tried to hide the bloody bandages underneath his blue sleeves, but he'd failed miserably. Tooth's maternal instincts had gone in to overdrive at the way he was acting, so naturally she'd spotted the marks first - cuts and bruises and an all manner of lacerations.

Instantly, the fairy had pummelled him with questions, fluttering about him so fast that she was just a blur of green and blue. Unable to take it, Jack had took off before any of them had even had a chance to question him.

Ever since that day, they'd only seen brief glances of him here and there, mostly because he was staying around in Burgess whilst Autumn was passing. Hiding away from them. Trying to conceal something from them.

And they were all desperately trying to figure it out; none of them - not even Bunny - wanted the boy to become distant from them again. They'd already abandoned him once; they weren't about to do it again.

Finally, Bunny was the one to break the silence.

"Ya know what?" He asked, straightening up from where he stood. The others turned to look at him - even Tooth stopped her mad fluttering. "I'm gonna find out what he's up to."

"Bunny," Tooth said, "This is a delicate matter. If we don't act the right way-"

"Frostbite isn't three years old, Tooth. What he needs ain't delicacy, tha's fer sure." He interrupted, before turning to face all of the Guardians, pocketing his boomerangs once again.

"Now are you lot gonna help me or not?"

It was frantic, the next few hours. Tooth sent a group of her Mini Fairies to scour Burgess completely to search for Jack, along with Bunny, whilst she herself would help North search the poles. Sandy sent golden tendrils of his sand shooting out across the United States, silently searching amongst the stars for their missing spirit.

And eventually, they found him. On a frozen lake in the middle of Alaska, near Fairbanks. Go figure.

Sandy had of course alerted the others straight away, and before they knew it, the four were walking (or flying) through a snowy forest in the middle of nowhere, a slight snowfall sprinkling over them.

"This better be bloody well worth it," Bunny uttered irritably, the tips of his fur beginning to frost over, "Otherwise Frostbite's gonna have hell to pay."

No-one acknowledged the pooka's complaining, because almost immediately after the words had been spoken, a yelp echoed through the forest.

Bunny's ears shot up, and he pulled his boomerangs out so fast that his paws were just gray blurs. Beside him, North armed himself with his twin swords and Tooth took up a fighting stance, whilst Sandy gathered spheres of sand at his finger tips.

Whoever was hurting Jack was about to pay for it. Dearly.

Bunny was the first to reach the lake. Considering he was the fastest out of all of them, it made sense.

Stealthily, he ducked behind a tree which stood on the edged of Jack's frozen battleground with his ears pulled back, trying not to be seen, and the pooka found himself breathing hard; from adrenaline or something else, he didn't know.

More than ready to save Jack from whatever or whoever was attacking him, Bunnymund peered around the huge pine tree and prepared himself for the worst, his boomerangs in his paws ready to see action.

Finally, he saw him. Jack. On the ground, sitting up and clutching his bare shoulder as blood seeped out from between his fingers. His arms were still bandage, except these were different ones - the blood on them was fresh.

Both his staff and hoodie absent from his appearance, Bunny noticed, a lump growing in his throat. Who took his staff?

A trail of blood trickled down from underneath the boy's mop of unruly white hair, dripping in to his icy blue eyes, the crimson so prominent against his pale skin that it made the Guardian of Hope feel sick.

The spirit was breathing heavily, glaring up at his opponent. Bunny too turned to glare, but what he saw wiped the glare clean off of his face.

Jack was battling... with Jack.

Well, it wasn't Jack exactly. It was an... ice version of Jack. An ice version that stared down at its creator with a cold, emotionless gaze, as though it was waiting patiently for him to get back up. Bloodstains were scattered across the ice figure's chest and face in rows of four, like knuckle marks, and its right arm had been broken off at the elbow completely, but it stood as though it were totally in tact.

The pooka's confusion deepened.

...What the hell was Jack doing?

His thoughts were interrupted, however, as the winter spirit (the non-ice one) spoke to himself, using his uninjured arm to wipe some of the blood away from his eyes.

"Have to... get... stronger..."

Bunny couldn't help but wince as the boy struggled to his feet, his hands on his knees. He looked so fragile, as though he might snap like a twig if he moved too fast.

"Bunny! Where is he? Where's Jack?"

The pooka turned at Tooth's panicked voice. Through the trees behind him, the three Guardians seemed to burst out the foliage itself, ready for battle. North seemed to bristle with rage, turning to Bunny as he clutched his twin swords.

"Yes, can you see him-?"

"Shhh!" Bunny interrupted the Father of Christmas, placing a paw pad to his lips. Immediately, the others fell silent.

The Easter Bunny nodded over his shoulder. "Take a look for yerselves. Just don't make a noise - I wanna see what the hell he's doing to himself."

Worried glances were shared between the others, before they each tentatively stepped forwards, peering out toward the lake where Jack still crouched, panting.

The Guardians watched with surprise, wondering what was about to happen. The air itself seemed to buzz with anticipation.

"Okay..." The boy breathed, straightening up, wincing as he did so. _Another broken rib_, he thought irritably, _that's the second one this week..._

"Let's try again, shall we?" He asked cheekily, weakly smirking, trying to regain some of his normal demeanour as he spoke to the ice figure. It didn't move.

Jack glared at it, forgetting for a moment that it was just a thing, made to follow his instructions, rather than an actual living person. It wouldn't throw banter at him to lighten the mood, or even utter a few garbled noises. Not that it would really help much.

"Fine," he gave in, "Have it your way."

With surprising grace for a barely standing teenage boy, Jack pulled his body in to a fighter's stance. His right leg came forward, and his shoulders rolled as he clicked his neck, his arms moving swiftly in front of his chest, as though it were second nature. He lowered his blood covered head protectively, and the weak smirk that had wound itself on to his face earlier had gone, replaced by a thin line, his eyes sending daggers flying at the thing standing before him.

A moment passed. A heavy one, silent as death. The Guardians watched with anticipation and confusion from the trees. The spirit stared in to his ice half with a fiery gaze, as though he well and truly despised its existence.

And suddenly, the lake seemed to explode with movement.

The winter spirit shot forward towards his ice counterpart, a snarl escaping his lips. North flinched - such a hateful, rage filled sound shouldn't have come out of the Guardian of Fun's mouth. Or any child's.

The others watched with awe in their eyes, bedazzled by the boy as he leapt forward like a tiger, throwing a powerful right hook at the ice figure's head. Surely he would knock it clean off its shoulders? Surely it would crumble to snowflakes...?

But no. Before the spirit's knuckles had even brushed the thing's face, it caught his fist with its only hand, stopping Jack's momentum so fast that the boy crumpled against the ice figure's form like a rag-doll. And worse still, it showed no mercy. Relentlessly, it began bending his hand backwards, not even looking at the boy as it did so. The Guardian cried out helplessly, feeling his bones beginning to snap. He couldn't take it, he couldn't-

_No_, the calmer side of his brain thought, _you can fight it_._ Just... think of something!_

Just as Tooth was about to rush out to the boy, he did something only years of martial arts practice could accomplish.

Instead of struggling against the cold ice hand, the boy used it to pull his lanky body up, surprising even himself with his strength. His bare feet leapt from the ground and kicked his opponent squarely in the chest, sending it flying back, whilst Jack flipped through the air, landing as agile and light on his feet as a cat would, clutching his throbbing wrist in his hand.

But rather worry about his nearly broken wrist, the boy looked up at his opponent, who was staring at him at least three metres away. Jack took it as a challenge.

"I'm getting sick of this," he admitted to it. In response, it blinked at him, "Even with one arm you're still stronger than me. And _I _made _you_! How does that work?"

"Bunny, what's going on?" Tooth's quiet voice flitted through the air, worried, even a little scared. "What-What is he doing?"

"I dunno, Tooth. Guess we'll have ta watch."

The fairy didn't like that idea.

"Well, you know what?" Jack carried on, once again straightening up as he faced the ice version of himself, "I'm sick of being weak. I can't protect them if I'm weak. I was weak before, and I nearly let them die! Weak?" He questioned, a pent up fury escaping through his words, "I never want to be weak again!"

The thing merely blinked in response, waiting for Jack to fight once again, patiently staring at him.

And that one action, it seemed, was what sent the boy over the edge.

Suddenly, the space between the two became a blur of punches and kicks and grunts. The ice beneath their feet groaned under all the movement, and soon bore streaks of crimson. There would be a yelp of pain every few seconds, or the thud of flesh on ice. Bunny thought it was never going to end.

But then, it just... stopped.

Just like that.

Jack had his foot on the ice figure's chest, pinning it to the ground. The spirit was breathing heavily, sporting a new bruise that was blossoming across his face, whilst blood trailed from his nose, his eyes boring in to the endless depths of the ice figures own. Only this time, it wasn't the ice man's eyes that were emotionless - it was Jack's.

The winter spirit spoke, more to himself than his ice equivalent. The boy's hoarse voice was barely above a whisper - so quiet, only Bunny could hear it.

"I refuse to ever be weak again."

And with that, he stomped down on the thing so hard, it shattered. It didn't turn in to snowflakes, or a pretty ice pattern - no, it shattered in to a million glass-like pieces, a scream like tearing paper escaping from it's cold lips as it died.

Finally victorious, Jack turned to walk away.

And promptly fainted.

**This is a twoshot people! Don't worry about it! Though, a couple of reviews might help speed up the process -wink wink-**

**Anyways, I hope you liked it! I wanted to explore Jack's fighting abilities a little more, considering he's meant to know martial arts and fighting skills. Not to mention, his hothothothotness might have inspired me a little bit... :D**

**Next chappie soon!**


	4. Blood And Ice Part II

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! I'll do an individual reply to you all at the bottom ^-^**

**Warnings: Mentions of blood**

**Rating: T**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort**

**Characters: Jack + all the Guardians**

**Summary: Continuation of Blood And Ice.**

**xoxoxoxoxoxox**

Everything was so... fuzzy. And warm. Too warm. His mouth felt like sand and his eyelids were like lead on his face. It hurt just _thinking _about opening them, so instead, he let his senses wander.

He soon realized that the surface he was laying on definitely wasn't ice. It was soft. Ice wasn't soft. He was on a bed with squishy pillows and he couldn't have been more grateful.

The front of his head was aching, like a thousand hammers were being whacked against it, and his ribs hurt every time he dared to even breath, though they hurt less than they usually did for some reason. Something soft was wrapped tightly around one of his wrists, he could feel.

He attempted to wiggle his fingers, but his body was unresponsive, and it took him a _lot _more than a minute to figure out why.

The ice figure had beat him to a pulp again, he thought bitterly.

Immediately, frustration started to build in his head to accompany the aching of his skull. Why wasn't he getting any better? He needed to get better, to become stronger, in case anything like Pitch happened again. He had a job as a Guardian. It was his _duty _to protect the children - it couldn't be like last time, when the children he was supposed to protect had come to _his _rescue. It didn't work like that, and he was determined to never let it happen again.

Despite the protests from his aching head, he cracked his eyes open. Relief washed over him as he saw the familiar pale blues and whites of his room at the North Pole. He was home, safe and sound, on a nice comfy bed-

Whoa, whoa, _what_?!

He shouldn't be here. He should be on a frozen lake in the middle of Alaska, waking up from passing out because of his fight. How could he be here?

_They found you_, he found himself thinking, dreading the very idea, _they found you out there and now they're gonna question you as soon as they know you're awake... _

His hand reached up to touch his injured forehead, and sure enough, it was bandaged underneath his white bangs. All of a sudden, he became aware of the rest of his treated injuries - his wrist had been bandaged too, and whenever he breathed he could feel the slight pressure of a rib brace pressing down on his skin.

Worry increasing every second, the spirit sat up and looked around some more. Propped against his bedside table was his staff, and his hoodie hung from the back of the bedroom door. It must've been night time, because the sky outside was inky black, the stars twinkling calmly back at him as he stared out of the window.

He was _so _done for.

As soon as the others knew he was awake, they would bombard him with questions - the boy knew they would - and then they'd judge him, judge him on what he did, judge his reasons for doing so and then he'd be alienated from all of them. Knowing his luck, that was what surely was going to happen. He'd be shunned and forgotten all over again.

A sigh escaped his lips as he ran a hand through his messy hair.

_May as well get it over and done with._

Flinging back the duvet, he swung his skinny legs over the edge of the mattress, and reached for his staff. The solid feel of it in his hands gave him comfort - the only thing that hadn't abandoned him in his three hundred years alone. At least he'd still have it with him.

He pulled his body up with it, wincing as he felt his broken ribs move uncomfortably - the feeling was horrible. Like something sharp and painful crawling beneath his skin. A shudder travelled down his spine.

He caught his reflection in the window as he stood, and couldn't help but gape a little. He looked like a ghost. A really skinny, beaten up ghost with grey circles under his eyes. And for the first time, he realized he was shirtless, his rib brace nice and clear for all to see. Hooray.

Shuffling over to the door, he managed to pull on his hoodie without staggering over and falling flat out on the floor. It smelt like fresh linen, he noticed. North must've washed it while he was asleep.

Now there was a thought; how long _had _he been asleep?

He dreaded to think.

Instead, he focused on opening the door. Warm light spilled in from the hallway as the it clicked open, and a little unsure, the boy struggled out of the room, the muffled voices becoming clearer. He leaned in to his staff, using it to drag the rest of him down the hallway, and eventually, he could decipher the voices: Tooth, North and Bunny. He'd assume Sandy was there too, because every now and then there'd be a halt in the discussion, before they would continue talking.

The spirit had finally managed to drag himself to the door leading to the Main Hall now, the voices floating out in to open air, and now he could clearly hear what they were saying.

"...weeks now. I just... What if he doesn't wake up?"

A lump formed in the boy's throat as he heard the sadness in Tooth's voice. He hated the thought that he'd caused any of them hurt because of what he did. It weighed down on his concious far more than it should have..

And worse still: how many weeks?

"Frostbite's stronger than 'e looks," Bunny's voice assured, but he couldn't hide the undertone of doubt in his vocals, "We all learnt that much, di'n't we?He'll be fine, Tooth." The pooka said, trying to calm the fairy, before he carried on, "Now, what I wanna know is this: what the hell was he doing on that lake?"

Jack winced at the question - he knew he'd have to answer it sooner or later.

A thick blanket of silence seemed to fall over the group after Bunnymund had spoken, all lost in thought. Jack took a breath to steady himself, before mentally counting down in his head as he placed a hand on the door.

3...

2...

1...

He pushed the heavy door with all his weight, and the resulting creak caused everyone to look up. Tentatively, he poked his head around the door.

"Hey... How are ya?" He rasped, his throat feeling like he'd been gargling nails, staring blearily in to the room.

Before he knew it, he had a face full of feathers, Tooth's voice going so fast that it was just a bunch of incoherent buzzing in his ears. Her arms were wrapped around him in an instant and he nearly fell over with the force of her hug.

"Tooth!" North's booming voice sounded across the room, "Let the boy breathe!"

Sheepishly, the fairy fluttered away, leaving Jack to steady himself on his feet once again.

"Nice ta see ya back in the land of the livin', Frostbite." Bunny was suddenly next to him, grabbing one of the boy's arms and putting it over his broad shoulders to steady him - he _did _look as though he'd fall over any second, after all.

"Ahh, Jack! See, what I tell you Tooth?" North questioned as he joined the group, placing a hand on the boy's free shoulder, "He is much stronger than how he look!"

Jack beamed at the tall man, feeling his cheeks flush a little. He felt his hair being ruffled and he looked to his side and saw Sandy floating there too, a warm smile on his face, golden sand dancing above his head in little firework patterns, like a miniature celebration above his hair.

The spirit couldn't help smile at them all, his worries melting away with every second they surrounded him. How could he have thought all that stuff earlier? Sure, Bunny had a grudge against him and Tooth over reacted to the slightest thing, but they cared about him. _Truly _cared.

They'd never shun him away because... because they...

They were his family.

And somewhere in his chest, he felt a hollow spot being filled that he hadn't known had been empty before.

He had a _family_.

"Jack? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah. M'fine." Jack murmured, trying to sniff discreetly and failing miserably at it, "Just-just dust - in my eye."

"I think ya better sit down, Snowflake - ya look like yer gonna fall over."

The boy nodded in agreement, glad for the change of subject, and all of a sudden he was in a huge armchair without much memory of how he'd gotten there. At some point, a glass of water had been thrust in to his spare hand and he accepted it gratefully, relishing the coolness of it as he drank. It really was way too warm in here - he might just sneak out later and lay in the snow.

"So, Frostbite," Bunny began, not missing a beat. Jack looked at him, curious, mouth full of water.

"D'ya mind tellin' us exactly what you were doin' on that lake?"

All that could be heard next was Jack nearly choking on his drink.

**Gonna cut it there guys! I'll either post the next part in the next chapter or take a break and give you guys something different.**

**Oh, and in case you were wondering why Jack has been out for blankety-blank -weeks, it'll be explained next time I continue this arc. :3**

**Replies! :D**

**Guest45: Thanks for the first review :D I'm glad you thought it was sweet :'3**

**WRATH77: FEELS. I love them. Thanks for reviewing!**

**Guest: I laughed at your review xD What a reaction! Glad I made you feel something with my writing :3**

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**RizReviewer: Oh, I completely agree about the whole 'Jack + martial arts = hothothot.' And thanks for the complement about the Rock 'n' Roll chapter :3**

**Raver's Spirit: I love it when family RotG fics are written too, especially if they're Hurt/Comfort. I think I just love it when Jack is vulnerable... I dunno what that says about me... :l**

**Guest: It seems you guessed correctly! :D And thanks for the compliment - in all honest, I thought someone else would've thought of it earlier, but I guess now :D**

**LightMyBulb: Very hot ;D**

**Sirens in the water: I think half the fandom are determined to injure him one way or another. He's gonna end up dead by the end of it xD**

**1captain obvious: Don't worry, I have a chapter planned where the whole Rock 'n' Roll thing comes back to bite him in the butt :D**

**Thanks for reading everyone!**


	5. Words

**Warnings: None**

**Rating: K**

**Genre: Family/Comfort**

**Character(s): Jack and North**

**Summary: Three hundred years alone - you would've thought he'd at least learnt the alphabet by now...**

North noticed it first.

It was a week away from Christmas, and the workshop seemed to be an explosion of noise and colour and Yetish yelling echoing off the walls. Elves ran around uselessly, covered in tinsel and baubles, giggling like schoolchildren, as per usual.

North was dressed in working clothes, his fur hat absent from his head as he wandered around the workshop, giving orders to the Yetis. They grumbled under their breath as they were ordered to repaint or re-design _entire _batches of toys with different colours or patterns; geez, their boss was fussy!

"Only best toys for the children!" North would say, pretending he hadn't heard Phil cursing in Yetish.

Just as he was about to untangle an elf out from the decorations on one of the staircases, he could see a flash of blue zoom through the air out of the corner of his big eyes, and before he knew it, the winter spirit was stood in front of him, staff leaning against his shoulder.

"Hey North."

"Jack!" The man exclaimed, clapping the boy so hard on the shoulder the boy was surprised he didn't sink in to the ground, "So good to see you! Why are you here?"

The boy shrugged, grinning up at the other "I just finished frosting up Canada, so I figured you could use some help."

North smiled at the boy. Gradually, he was warming up to them all, visiting them willingly, rather than being dragged in to meetings by force. He was beginning to view the Guardians as family, rather than acquaintances; North's jolly mood increased ten-fold at that thought.

"Of course you can, my boy!" The tall man crouched down a little, and directed the boy's gaze to room on the third balcony in the workshop with a finger.

"In there is list of Naughty and Nice children from all over world." He whispered, "I whisper because I do not want elves getting any funny ideas," he clarified with a wink. Jack nodded, a smile on his face. "Bring it down for me, will you? I need to check it. Only seven days to go, you know!"

Eagerly, Jack nodded again, before flying off. Within a minute he was back again, clutching a roll of parchment so large he had to hold it with both arms, whilst his staff was between his teeth, his eyes crossed with concentration as he tried to _not _drop the huge piece of paper; it seemed so old, as though it was going to crumble in to dust any second.

"Ah, thank you Jack." The bearded man smiled, his whiskers twitching as he bent over a wooden car, screwing on the wheels. "Now, if you don't mind, could you read first name on Naughty side? I want to see whom I'm starting with this year."

It took a moment for North's words to sink in, and Jack was suddenly thankful that the man wasn't facing him - he was sure his cheeks had probably gone a deep blue.

With fumbling fingers, he put down the list for a moment so he could lean his staff against a nearby work table, before gently unravelling the ancient paper, just enough so he could see the first name.

_Its ok, Jack_, he told himself sternly, _they're just letters. Letters. It's not_ **that **_hard, surely?_

But said letters seemed to float off the very page itself, circling his head, laughing and throwing taunts at him in scratchy voices _"Jack can't read! Jack can't read!"_

"Jack?" North questioned after a moment of silence, turning away from his work to stare at the boy, who was now squinting intently at the paper, "Are you... alright?"

Defiantly, the boy nodded. "It - it's just..." He tried to think of an excuse, "Uhhh... it's too bright in here! Yeah, that's it. The lights are too bright North. Can't read the words."

The nervous laughter coming from his mouth, however, told the Guardian of Wonder otherwise. North raised a brow, more than a little concerned.

"Jack..." He said slowly, noting how the boy was trying to look anywhere but North, "You... can read, can't you?"

The spirit was desperately trying to think a way out of there now, eyes darting left to right. He couldn't let North know, he _couldn't_...

"Jack." The man said firmly, forcing the boy's gaze to latch back on to him. "Answer question."

Jack gulped, head hanging slightly in shame.

A sigh escaped his lips as he placed the list on the nearest desk, daring to look at North.

"No." He answered dejectedly, "Colonial Burgess wasn't exactly... _educational _for poor boys."

There was a moment of silence, and the boy knew North was judging him silently. How much of an idiot did he look? A boy who couldn't read after three hundred and seventeen years - if he wasn't an idiot, he didn't know who was.

The boy stood there, waiting for North to take the list himself and not say another word, silently dismissing the winter spirit.

So naturally, surprise lit up his features as North thumped on the shoulder and said in a booming voice:

"We will have to teach you then!"

Despite how busy it was, the Father of Christmas always found time for each individual child. No matter who they were, where they lived, what religion they were or what they believed in. He cared for them all, Naughty or Nice.

So somehow, throughout all the chaos of the next six days, throughout all the toy making, list checking, painting, re-painting and decorating, North found time to teach Jack how to read.

It was kept secret, of course - Jack was absolutely terrified of anyone else knowing, even if it was just an elf, because somehow - _somehow _- Tooth or Bunny or Sandy would find out. He didn't think he could bear the shame, and he'd _never _hear the end of it from Bunny.

So they chose a room near the top of the complex, near North's own office, where Jack would learn to read - it was nice and secluded from the rest of the workshop, like their own little bubble. Not to mention the view was beautiful from the window.

Then again, Jack really wasn't focused on that.

"I do not see why you are so ashamed," North commented one day, after Jack had stumbled over the alphabet again, frustrated with his tongue for not making the right sounds, "Many children cannot read in this world. I wish I could teach all of them, but it is impossible. No, no," he stopped Jack as he tripped over the letter 'Q', "It is pronounced 'K - U', not 'kwee', Jack."

The boy let out a frustrated sigh, leaning back in his chair and abandoning the paper on his desk. Curse those impossibly squiggly lines! Just this time, couldn't he get this _one _thing right after three-hundred and seventeen years?

"Yeah, I get it North," he lied, aggravated with himself. Why hadn't he just learned this in the time he was alone? It would've saved a heck of a lot of embarrassment on his part.

"No you don't - not yet! Now, we try one more time before I go." The jolly man said, holding the paper in his hand, "Come on, Jack!"

"North," Jack began, thoughts drifting through his tired mind as he straightened up to look at the man, "Why bother with me?"

There was a silence that fell over the two, Jack's words hanging in the air.

North stared at the boy, his tone of voice worrying the man a little.

"Why wouldn't I bother with you, Jack?" He said as softly as his accent would allow.

"'Cause," the spirit said, grabbing his staff and standing up and turning, beginning to wonder around the small room they were in, "I'm useless. I never do anything right anyway - Bunny'll tell you that much."

North could only stare at him as the boy looked out of the window, talking more to himself than anyone else. Yes, Bunny was a little harsh at times, but that wouldn't upset Jack that much. So what had brought this on?

"Heck, if I could do anything right," his quiet voice cut through the Guardian of Wonder's thoughts. It sounded as though he was struggling with his words, unsure of what to say. It was difficult to admit, even to himself, "Then I wouldn't have become Jack Frost, I wouldn't have been left alone for three years and I still would've had a family -" he paused, his hand on the cool glass "- _my _family."

"Jack..." North murmured, he too getting up from his seat, going to stand beside the boy, "What has brought this to your thoughts?"

The spirit shrugged, his gaze suddenly becoming very interested in the floor. "I..."

He looked confused, brow furrowed, as if he himself didn't really know. North's concern grew as the seconds passed, but eventually, Jack spoke up.

"It's just... weird, I guess. Kinda... difficult to deal with."

Despite the odd answer, North responded.

"What, Jack? What is difficult?"

There was a pause. A pause in which Jack looked up from the floor to stare at North's reflection, a brief shine of _something _skimming across his eyes in the glass. A pause in which a small smile wound itself on to the boy's lips before he answered.

"Having a family again."

**Gahh, I'm not pleased with this :/ It's just so... uggh. But I didn't want to leave you guys hanging, so you'll have to deal with this DEAL WITH IT..**

**Anyways, replies! (^_^) (^_^) (^_^)**

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**RizReviewer: Well, **_**now **_**I'm hiding in a bunker O_O I'm glad you liked the whole 'family' bit - I thought it was a bit too cheesy, but then I thought 'I ADORE cheddar!'**

**Sparkly Waffles: QUBUSCUS?! What are you doing in the RotG fandom? -le gasp- Glad you like it!**

**Sirens in the water: Together, we can now rejoice in the hotness that is Jack Frost *_***

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**Thanks to everybody for reading!**


	6. Blood And Ice Part III

**Warnings: None**

**Rating: K+**

**Character(s): Jack + all the Guardians**

**Genre: Family**

**Summary: Since when could Jack bring pictures to life?**

**xoxoxoxox**

Tooth winced as Jack coughed, hovering over to pat him on the back, sending an accusing glare over her shoulder at Bunnymund. He looked back at her with a face that blatantly said 'I didn't do anything wrong.'

Thankfully, the spirit stopped eventually, his broken ribs becoming still, he noted with relief.

For a second there, he'd thought he'd gotten out of answering that question.

Hah. Whatever.

Through bleary eyes, Jack looked up at the pooka. He just stared back at him, waiting for an answer, his arms cross and his brows raised. He looked like a father who was about to tell his son off for breaking curfew.

That thought didn't ease the spirit in the slightest.

Instead of answering, however, he tried to dodge the question with one of his own, his eyes trying to look anywhere but the pooka.

"I think I should have first question," he stated, with a voice that he hoped to MiM was nonchalant, "How long was I out?"

There seemed to be a group shift, the others glancing around nervously, hoping someone else would answer the question. Jack put down the glass and sat up a little straighter, eyeing up the rest of them with an apprehensive gaze. Why weren't they answering?

Tooth was the one to finally break the silence, fluttering from his side so she could face him properly, her violet gaze cautious.

"Sweet Tooth," the fairy began, her hands wringing nervously, "You've been... 'out' for nearly three weeks."

It took a moment for that to settle in. He just sat there, staring blankly in to space. Sandy had been about to poke him on the knee to see if he was still concious, when his vocals began working again.

"Wh-what?!" He stuttered numbly, "But... How is that even possible?"

Sure, he'd been beaten up pretty bad, but it hadn't been so bad that it had knocked him unconscious for three weeks. It may have looked awful, but it had just been a couple of broken ribs and a few cuts and bruises - how it had managed to put him in a coma was unknown to him.

And worse still, winter would've started by now. That is, it should've - if he'd been awake at the time.

His first winter as a Guardian and he'd failed already.

The spirit gripped his staff tightly in hand, making a move to get up.

"I have to go - Winter should've started and I wasn't there to -"

Tooth gripped his arm and pushed him lightly back in to his chair "Oh, I knew you'd react like this Jack," she said, her hands still resting on his shoulder, as though he might try to fly off, "Winter will have to wait another few days at least."

"But-"

The boy was interrupted by Sandy floating in front of him, his usually happy face stern, shaking a 'No' at the boy with his head.

"Sandy is right," North agreed, "You are too weak - you'll fall straight out of sky!"

Reluctantly, Jack relaxed back in to his chair. His stubborn will was having an argument with his reason - a want to do his job right now, and a want to do his job right.

"See Snowflake," Bunny began again, taking a step toward the boy. The spirit resisted the urge to run, "This wouldn'ta happened if you hadn't been messin' around on tha' lake with tha'... thing."

"Bunny..." Tooth warned, clutching Jack's shoulder as she hovered beside him, maternal instincts taking over.

"I am afraid Bunny is correct, Tooth," North said, stepping forward a little, looking down at Jack with concern - he hated it when people did that to him. "We must know... what were you doing on that lake, Jack?"

Even Tooth looked at him, waiting for an answer. Sandy looked on with wide eyes, and there was no denying the protective glint that shone in the eyes of both North and Bunny.

They wanted to know - they were scared for him and they wanted to help him. He could see that clearly now - but a part of his mind (the part that had grown used to dealing with things on its own for the past three hundred years) was reluctant to admit anything.

So, rather than talk to them, he'd show them.

He clutched his staff and began to stand, feeling his legs tremble a little under his weight - though minute it was, apparently his legs didn't like it.

"Jack-" Tooth began.

"I'm not running off, Tooth," Jack assured, his voice still raspy, "I just... I want to show you."

Sandy floated backwards as Jack stood up, making sure the boy didn't trip. The Guardians watched with avid interest as the boy wandered over to one of the huge slanted windows of the main hall. He glanced over his shoulder at them, resisting the urge to smile at their serious expressions - he'd never seen them so focused before.

He turned his gaze back to the window, and softly, he pressed a finger against the glass. Instantly, frost began to climb its' way across the smooth surface, until the entire window was covered in a light layer of the stuff.

"Frostbite, what are ya-?"

Sandy elbowed the pooka in the foot, causing him to look down at the man. The Guardian of Dreams put a finger on his lips, signalling for the other to shush, before turning to watch the boy once again.

By the time Sandy had looked back, Jack had already covered half the window with hundreds of curving lines. The boy's pale hands moved swiftly with such ease across his 'canvas', as though he was already much accustomed to the shape he was drawing.

After another minute, Jack seemed to be happy with what was on the glass, and he stepped back to admire it fully, finally allowing the others to see.

North felt his jaw drop.

An exact drawing of Jack, from detail to tiny detail, stared back at them, expressionless, the only thing missing from his persona being his staff.

The Father of Christmas had just been about to ask what this was all about when he heard Jack inhale, the crook of his staff under neath his arm a little like a crutch. His eyes closed in concentration as his hands seemed to grapple with air for a moment.

The drawing on the glass shimmered for a moment, and suddenly, it stepped clean off of the window as though it were walking in to the room through a door way, the most natural thing in the world. It became three dimensional as it stepped away from its flat surface of a prison, and a moment later it was stood on the ground, expression blank, eyes unblinking.

Tooth's own violet eyes were wide, disbelief swimming in them. Jack did not just... He couldn't... But...

That was impossible!

Next to her, Bunny had armed himself with his boomerangs, his ears flattening against his head as memories of the ice figure from weeks ago swam through his minds eye.

He wasn't taking any chances this time; that thing was dangerous - even if he was a hindrance to his existence, Bunny didn't want Jack hurt again. Not that he'd ever admit it, of course.

The winter spirit saw Bunny tensing, and held a hand up, "Whoa, Bunny! Bunny, it's okay," he told the pooka, who in turn looked at him as though he were crazy, still gripping his boomerangs tightly in his paws, unconvinced.

To prove his point, Jack stepped towards the ice figure, which turned to face its creator. The boy glanced at the others, then back to his ice counterpart. The Guardians held their breath, wondering what he was about to do.

Totally at ease, Jack stared at the ice figure, and calmly poked it right between the eyes.

Tooth winced, North's hands clenched and Sandy covered his eyes, not wanting to see what would happen next. Bunny's ears flattened themselves even flatter against his head, waiting for the ice Jack to start fighting again as the pooka readied himself, ready to jump in and protect the boy...

But all it did was stare at the flesh and blood version of Jack, as if waiting for something. The boy turned to face the others.

"See?" He asked calmly, "It only does what I tell it to."

The group seemed to deflate as a unanimous sigh of relief left each of their lips. Confused they were, but equally glad that Jack wasn't going to get beaten to a pulp again.

Sandy was the first to break out of his stupor. Fascination evident in his face, he flew over to join Jack beside the ice figure. The small Guardian looked at it in admiration, before sending a glance at Jack, as if asking permission.

Jack nodded.

Eagerly, Sandy floated up to the thing's face which followed the man as he examined it. Tentatively, he dared to press a finger to the ice figure's forehead, and clapped in amusement when it didn't even flinch. He looked over at the others and beckoned them with a hand, signalling for it to be safe.

Warily, they walked over too. Bunny still held one of his boomerangs tightly, eyes narrowed. Somewhere in the back of Jack's mind, a memory seemed glide behind his icy blue eyes.

"Aww, you do care."

"Ahh, rack off ya bloody show pony!"

He found himself smiling at the very thought - it seemed like years ago now when he'd 'fallen' off of North's sleigh, and Bunny had tried to glare at him with intimidation. He said 'tried' because, well, let's face it; when you're a six foot tall bunny cowering in fear in the back-seat of Santa's sleigh, its pretty hard to be intimidating.

The boy was broken out of his thoughts by North's voice - the huge man was beside the ice figure too, his eyes wide with wonder; which was only appropriate, Jack supposed.

"Is very beautiful structure, Jack," he said, examining its head as if looking for faults, finding none at all. He smiled at the figure in only a way that a father could, admiring his son's work - it was detailed in every aspect. Every individual strand of hair, every crease in Jack's hoodie - it was all there. It looked too fragile to even last long. But, of course, they knew it was anything but fragile.

Another question seemed to float to the top of the man's mind the longer he stared at the ice figure, and finally, he tore his eyes away from it to face the real Jack.

"But if it only follows orders from you, then why did it attack?"

Jack sighed, becoming uncomfortable once again as all eyes were back on him. He looked around at them all, brows slanted, his eyes defeated and tired. Suddenly, the thought of a nice squishy bed sounded like paradise.

With a final stray look at the ice figure, he stared back at them, an honest answer finally falling from his lips.

"Because I told it to."

**MUHAHAHA! I leave you once again with the frustration of having to wait for the next instalment -grins evilly-**

**I may or may not give you Blood And Ice Part IIII in the next chapter... You'll just have to wait and find out! HEAHUEHEHEHUHUEEHU**

**Replies now! :D**

**snowflake1814(I GOT IT RIGHT THIS TIME): In order to write the whole reading chapter, I actually had to do a load of research about Colonial America in the 1700's.. .the things I do for you guys!**

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**RizReviewer: You really like the threatening threats don't you? O.o I don't think Bunny would be too pleased about you stealing his egg bombs... Oh, sorry, 'borrowing', I meant borrowing! PLEASE DON'T MURDER MY FACE.**

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**Thanks for reviewing all five chapters, chika! They are my precious writing fuel *_* I honestly don't know which reviews of yours to reply to individually, so I'll just try respond to the first one - You really think I should have a thousand reviews? Omygosh thank you :'D**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, errybody! See ya :D**


	7. Parties

**Warnings: None**

**Rating: K**

**Genre: Family/Humor**

**Character(s): Jack + Tooth (Mainly)**

**Summary: "Every lonely boy must learn how to dance at some point, Jack."**

Jack hated parties.

Absolutely _loathed _them, in fact.

After all, after three hundred years of solitude, you sort of... got used to your own company.

So naturally, busy, noisy and unbearably warm parties were not a particular favourite of the winter spirit's. He would avoid them at all costs, no matter what it took.

In fact, he was trying to think of an excuse right now, as Tooth stared down at him expectantly, her violet eyes wide, optimism shining on her face, seemingly buzzing with anticipation.

"Pleeeeaase, Jack?" She asked, her eyes full of hope.

Awkwardly, Jack rubbed the back of his neck, his staff in his spare hand. _C'mon_, he thought, _Just say you don't like crowds. She'll understand. It's not that hard. Just... say it!_

But as he looked back at her, enthusiasm and excitement practically sparkling out of her every orifice, he felt a huge weight of guilt settle in his chest.

How could he say no?

"Sure," he agreed reluctantly, "Why not?"

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

The fairy zoomed forwards, giving him a kiss on the cheek before zooming off in to the night sky, calling out behind her as she left. "See you there, Jack!"

Jack could only look on, giving a wave and hoping his false smile didn't look so false. Ugghh, why did he always have to agree to _everything? _

The thing Tooth had been asking him about, of course, was if he wanted to attend North's surprise 401st birthday party. It didn't actually matter if he _wanted _to or not, though - Tooth would've kept on asking him, even if he had said 'No' a thousand times, just waiting for him to say yes.

The boy had known the fairy would be fluttering around Burgess at some point that week, so he'd gone in to hiding, hanging out in London for the start of Autumn to ensure that she didn't find him.

But of course, a part of the European Division had reported back to its boss and she'd tracked him down like a bloodhound.

So now he was stuck in a corner with two ways out. Either he could:

A) Endure the party and all its busy, noisy, warm crowds.

B) Dig himself a nice big comfy hole and hide there for a couple of centuries.

Neither sounded too appealing.

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, the thought of that dreaded party swimming through his thoughts as he sat back on his rooftop near Kensington.

Why was it always _him_?

So today was the day. The dreaded day.

Jack awoke on a rooftop in Burgess, regretting choosing to sleep there the night before - the crook in his neck felt like it would be there for all eternity.

Yawning, he stood, grabbing his staff from beside him, before looking around at Burgess, now covered in a thick blanket of snow. At least he could feel a _little _happy at the thought that he'd just given Jamie a Snow Day.

His happiness was short lived, however, when he remembered the 'invite' from Tooth given to him no less than three days ago. And to make things worse, she wanted him to get there early.

_Early,_ for MiM's sake!

Digging himself a hole to crawl in to suddenly didn't sound so bad.

With one final stretch, he called for the wind and took off in to the cold morning sky, just wishing for the day to be over.

He'd arrived at Tooth palace at four in the afternoon.

It was two hours later when the guests started to arrive.

Two. _Hours_.

Why did one party take so long to set up?!

Jack had used this to his advantage, however, and had taken up space at the back on a chair right in the corner, trying to remain as secluded as he possibly could in the giant room where the party was being held.

And that was another bonus - getting to see the decorations while the room was nice and empty, aside from Bunny and Sandy, who'd been recruited to help out by Tooth as well.

The room itself was gargantuan - a huge hall with a vaulted ceiling, much like a cathedral, except it was an all manner of greens and turquoises and blues. It was stunning to look at, and the first time Jack had seen he was pretty sure his jaw had dropped.

On top of the paintwork was the decorations, and Tooth had made absolutely sure that he, Bunny and Sandy had put them in exactly the right place. On the central back wall, an eight foot tall Christmas tree had been put up, with baubles hanging on it that had been painted with the words "Happy 401st, North!" courtesy of Bunny. In front of the tree was a long buffet table that was filled to bursting point with all kinds of food - seafood, sandwiches, chips, roast meats, vegetables, chocolate, marshmallows, sugar free mint-flavored gum and so many other types of foodstuffs that Jack couldn't even attempt to name them all.

There were long, thick rows of tinsel flowing across the ceiling in blue and red streams, like shimmering rivers, and all the way around the walls there were tables for the guests to sit at - they themselves had been decorated completely, even with the funny little folded napkins in shapes of different Christmas objects.

It was _magnificent_.

Jack had just been trying to pry open the window behind him when he saw the first guests beginning to wander through the huge doors, eyes widening as they took in the wondrous decorations that filled the huge room.

The first guest was a woman - and a beautiful one at that.

A long, dappled green dress flowed about her person with an easy grace, long sleeves draping off of her arms as though they were made of liquid silk. Her hair was long and thick, a rich hazelnut brown in color, and braided all the way down her back, decorated with all sorts of flowers

She moved with such elegance that it was hard to believe her feet actually touched the floor.

"Mother Nature," Tooth's welcoming voice echoed through the empty hall, and Jack couldn't help but notice the slight bitter tone underlying the words. The thought of the Tooth fairy being envious of someone was just absurd - but nonetheless, Jack had to suppress a laugh.

Next to Mother Nature was a man known as Father Time - Jack heard Tooth greet him as well. And the name couldn't have been more appropriate, he decided. Old was definitely _one _way of describing him, that was for sure.

He was tall, dressed in a long robe that brushed the floor and he adorned a beard that could rival North's easily. He had a cruel air about him - a seemingly permanent scowl on his old face, and immediately, the spirit took a disliking to him.

Father Time held an arm out for Mother Nature, and took the lead out in to the hall to find a table, and quickly, the others followed - Cupid, a short man dressed entirely in white with a smile that could charm any woman from fifty yards; Lady Luck, the woman in such a short skirt that Jack had to avert his gaze as well as everyone else in the room; the Groundhog, much to Bunny's disappointment; Mother Goose, a kindly looking elderly woman in her late fifties, and then of course, the many different nymphs and sprites that giggled their way in through the huge doors. A couple of water nymphs even pointed at Jack in the corner, and giggled ferociously afterwards.

_Girls are weird_, he decided.

But his thoughts began to melt away as his brain finally started to absorb how big the crowd was - it was absolutely _huge_. So very ginormous that Jack shrank away from it as much as he could, barely seen beneath his hood, clutching his staff tightly as he glared out at the party from underneath his mop of white hair.

And then of course, North had arrived.

A smile lit up the jolly man's face as he entered, and he was greeted with a loud yell of "Surprise!" which made Jack flinch. Somewhere, music had struck up and loud chatter started to fill the huge room, and even though he tried his hardest, the spirit of winter couldn't block out any of the noise whatsoever.

_Busy? _Check_. Noisy? _Check_._

Now all he had to do was wait for it to get lovely and warm, and he'd officially be the most uncomfortable person in this room.

He let out and agitated sigh as he leant on his hand, staring out at the party-goers as they began to dance.

This was gonna be a long night.

Aside from being unbearably bored and out of his comfort zone for the majority of the night, Jack was fine.

As he stared out at the dancing guests, he couldn't help but notice how colorful all of their clothes were. They were bright and loud, but in a good way. His hoodie paled in comparison, and his pants looked ridiculous compared with the grandeur of the suits and cloaks.

Then again, he was happy with what he had. Comfy and appropriate - that was all he needed.

The boy had began to think that he'd gotten out of doing anything particularly strenuous until Tooth seemingly popped up out of nowhere. He nearly fell out of his chair.

"You look bored Jack," she said, smiling at him before beckoning with her head towards the dance floor, "Why don't you come and dance with us?"

Instantly, red alert signals were going inside his head.

"Uh - no thanks Tooth," he stuttered quickly, "I don't dance-"

"Oh, come on!" Tooth laughed, grabbing his hands and pulling him out on to the dance floor, her feet gently brushing the ground, her wings fluttering so fast behind her that they were just a blur of colour.

"No seriously," Jack protested, trying to squirm out of the fairy's grasp - for the Tooth fairy, she had a pretty strong grip, "I really, _really _don't dance-"

"Everyone dances from time to time," Tooth said, finally stopping her movements. Jack noticed with increasing panic that they were in the very heart of the other dancers, amongst the beautiful billowing dresses and cloaks Jack had so admired before - but now they were like some sort of death sentence.

He had never danced before. Even in his own memories, he couldn't recall the slightest twirl or prance. Not even dancing with his own mother, or even his sister - not a single foot tap.

Oh sure, he loved music. Some bands he'd really liked through the long years ( he'd once even gotten to see The Who live. Invisibility is a bonus sometimes) but he didn't dance to it. Sure, he _might _have _slightly _mimed an air guitar once or twice... but proper, waltz-y, fox trotting dance moves?

Yeah - not once.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a couple of the guests glare at him like he was some sort of rodent, and he found himself glaring back, earning a few affronted scoffs. Like he cared - all he cared about right now was getting off this wretched dance floor.

"Really Tooth," he whispered at the fairy, his voice nervous. That caught her attention, "I don't dance. I've never danced - ever. And I don't want to start today in front of all these people-"

The fairy looked at him through unfocused violet eyes, as if she were seeing him for the first time all over again, but not as Jack Frost, but as a boy. Just a simple boy who'd never learnt to dance.

The pair's lack of movement had caused the majority of the guests to stare now, some stopping their own dances to see what was going on.

Tooth, completely oblivious, stared at the boy before her.

"You mean...you've never once danced?" She asked incredulously, her hands still gripping Jack's, "In your _entire _life, you've never danced?"

The boy shifted uncomfortably, trying to shrug like he didn't really care about the way everyone was staring at him like he was some sort of alien. Even Mother Nature had halted her waltz with Father Time in order to look at him with a quizzical gaze.

"...No..." He mumbled, staring at his feet. He felt his cheeks go colder, probably going the deepest shade of blue they'd ever gone.

"It's basic etiquette to know how to dance with a lady, boy," Father Time interjected scornfully, looking the boy up and down with a scowl, "Where are your manners?"

Jack sent a glare at the old man. "Where are yours?"

That shut him up.

Thankfully, the other party-goers seemed to lose interest after Father Time had began dancing again, leaving Tooth and Jack in the heart of the crowd.

The fairy bit her lip a little, as Jack sighed, looking at the floor.

"Can I just go sit back down now?"

"Jack," she said, ignoring the question. He didn't look at her, "Jack - Jack, look at me."

Reluctantly, the spirit tore his eyes away from the floor and stared Tooth right in the eyes, violet clashing with icy blue.

She hovered a little closer and her voice became so quiet that it was barely above a whisper.

"I don't know why you've never danced," she began in a soft tone, placing one of Jack's hands on her shoulder, hovering lower so the she was eye level with him, "And I don't whether or not you want to. But what I _do _know-"

Jack looked at her with confused eyes, silently willing her to carry on talking. The fairy continued.

"Is that, at least once, every lonely boy must learn how to dance."

And with that, a night of laughter, tripping and spinning began.

And for the first time in his entire existence, Jack Frost had actually enjoyed a party.

**So yeah... I may or may not have only written that to get Tooth to say that one line.**

**I REGRET NOTHING.**

**Meanwhile, HOLEH BARNACLES. Thanks to you all for the reviews! :D necause I'm starting to get more for each chapter, I think I'll take a leaf out of Hatsu Yukiya's book and reply to some, and thank others ^_^ **

**E: I really would like to! I want Jack to show off a bit (if I'm honest) so I'm going to try and fit it in somewhere. And thank you for the compliment! ^_^ **

**Lovepuppy316: I came from outer space :) And if I were in one of the Guardian's positions, I'd probably be asking the same question xD And nuuuuuu, don't take away the cookies! D:**

**Alyss-8D: Arwh, thank you for the compliment :3**

**RizReviewer: I know wht you mean about the whole "so many directions" thing - its awesome isn't it? I'm already basing a bunch of other oneshots of that idea alone :D And I'm glad you liked that line xD**

**Nanu Kitty: Well if you can't find them, don't worrry about it ^_^ And I create**_** tension**_**? :O**

**Thanks to: **

**SparklyWaffles**

**Sirens in the water**

**silverheartlugia2000**

**snowflake1814**

**bla**

**angel grayson**


	8. Blood And Ice Part IIII

**Warnings: None**

**Rating: K+**

**Genre: Family/Hurt-Comfort**

**Character(s): Jack + all the Guardians**

**Summary: Conclusion of Blood And Ice.**

For the billionth time that night, a blanket of silence fell over the group as Jack's words hit home. Confusion lit up North's face, as did it with Sandy and Tooth; Bunny however, just accepted it. The words that the boy had spoken on the lake three weeks ago finally made sense.

_"Have to... get... stronger..."_

Just because it made sense didn't mean he had to_ like _it, though.

Tooth, meanwhile, was trying to process the words in her head, her mouth slightly agape.

"Sweet Tooth," she said, fluttering around the ice figure to appear next to Jack. He purposely kept his gaze downwards; he didn't want to look anyone in the eye. "Why... Why would you tell it to do that? Jack?"

She reached out and brushed his shoulder with her fingers, but the boy shied away from the contact. The fairy withdrew her hand hesitantly, a little upset at the action.

"'Cause..." He mumbled, his hair falling in front of his eyes, "I'm... weak."

North cocked a brow at the boy and Sandy looked at the spirit with concern, shaking his head slightly at his words. Bunny's ears twitched, his brow furrowing a little.

"I... Last time we fought Pitch, I nearly lost it for all of us," he carried on, not daring to face any of them, "We had to rely on the kids we were _protecting _to save _us_. And it was _my _fault." He looked at them with a defiance in his icy eyes, shaking his head, "That shouldn't happen. I don't _want _it to happen. Ever again, and none of you can say that I'm wrong.".

It was true - none of them could deny that last time was a complete disaster. It was only luck and intuition that had gotten them all through it, as well as the help they had received from the children.

There was a ripple of quiet that seemed to latch itself on to the air itself after Jack had finished speaking, but before it could settle there, North banished it with his loud voice. He wouldn't allow the silence to come back, wouldn't allow Jack to doubt himself.

"You are anything but weak, Jack."

The boy looked up at the loud voice, his eyes holding a tiny glimmer of hope. But it disappeared almost instantly, growing fainter in his eyes as the ice figure came in to view once again. And with it came memories. So many memories. Subconsciously, he rubbed his wrist, silently remembering the pain of his bones nearly snapping.

"Well, if I'm not weak," he began, his raspy voice holding a tint of anger as he glared at the figure, "Then why can't I beat something that _I _created?"

Silence.

They had no answer.

He nodded at their response, confirming his answer. He _was _weak.

Unable to bear the apologetic glances thrown at him, Jack turned away and began to drag himself back to his room.

As he moved however, he heard a heavy scrape against the wooden floor, and he turned to see the ice figure beginning to follow, knowing it was unable to survive for long without being close to its source of power.

With an agitated snort, the winter spirit gripped his crook tightly, channelling his power through his body like a circuit, and concentrated it in to his free hand. Bunny heard the boy, and looked up just as he held his fingers up, and clicked.

There was a moment of raw power then, that tore through the room relentlessly. It rippled through the air, making Bunny's hair stand on end, and the smell of ozone quickly followed. The scent pricked at the pooka's nose like needles and a shiver ran through the bunny's spine, and a primal animal urge arose in his mind, screaming at him. _"Run! Run away!"_

And then, it was over. A sound like a gunshot was heard through the room, and everyone jumped at the noise. The figure shattered, its pieces crashing on to the ground and shattering in to a million tiny fragments. Jack sent it one last glare, filled with hate, before beginning to drag himself back to his room.

Bunny turned to Tooth, the only other animal hybrid in the room, and she too looked shaken. He caught her eye and raised a brow, as if to say _'You felt it too?'_

The fairy nodded hesitantly, looking back at the boy as he made his way to the door.

And then, it hit him. As he stared after the winter spirit, it became painfully clear why MiM had chosen the boy to help them so many weeks ago.

Not only was he a Guardian - a Guardian of Fun, for that matter - but he was...

Powerful.

So very powerful.

And the pooka didn't think that Jack had realised it yet.

But they were going to have to sort this out later though, because Jack was nearly out of the room, and Bunny was having a debate inside his head.

Jack had just given life, breathed it in to ice and gave it a purpose. And then he destroyed as easily as a knife sliced through butter.

The pooka didn't know what to feel - awe, or rage.

Whilst one part of his mind was calling out in anger that Jack had just destroyed a living thing, one was awe-inspired at the fact the boy had been able to give it the gift of life in the first place.

The spirit of Easter didn't know what to do.

"Hey, hey, now wait a second, Frostbite," he began sternly, walking towards the boy. Jack stopped in his tracks, turning at the sound of the thick Australian accent. His blue eyes were cautious as he looked on at the six foot tall bunny rabbit, albeit a little curious.

"Now I don't know what made ya think about all this 'I'm weak' crap," he began as the boy turned to face the pooka fully, "But if ya can give and take life, I don't think ya can call yerself weak."

Jack raised a brow at the other, wondering what the heck the kangaroo was talking about.

"Giving life?" He asked, "What-?"

Suddenly, the pooka was up close, more than a little intimidating, much like the argument they'd had when Jack had first been taken to the North Pole. The spirit stepped back a little, despite himself. He'd never admit it, but the Guardian of Hope could be pretty damn threatening sometimes.

"Now you listen 'ere, Jack," he began in a low voice, and immediately the boy knew it was serious; Bunny never used his proper name unless he meant business, "I don't care if I have ta knock this in ta yer thick skull with me own paws till the sun comes up. But yer not weak," he paused for a moment, placing a paw on the boy's shoulder, forcing him to make eye contact. " And there's no reason fer ya ta think so, no matter what ya say. If ya want practice, _ask_."

Surprised shone in the boy's eyes. Was Bunny really asking..?

"And I don't want ta see one of those - those _things _again." The pooka said quietly, discomfort clear in his voice as he glanced over at the shattered remnants of the ice figure strewn on the floor, "No-one has the right ta destroy life, even if tha' life isn't smart enough to talk properly. I don't destroy you, after all, do I?"

It took a few seconds for Jack to realize that was an insult.

"Hey!" He protested, pushing the pooka on the shoulder, but there was a smile on his pale face. Bunny too gave a smile, glad to see the old Jack beginning to shine through. "Well it's true." He said shrugging, standing to his full height again, "Yer a lot dumber than ya look."

"Bunnymund!"

"I'm right though, Tooth," the pooka grinned over his shoulder at he fairy, his eyes sending silent signals. _'Its okay, Jack's alright now. I'm _allowed _to make fun of him when he's okay.'_

Tooth's eyes widened and her stern look became a smile. She hovered a little higher, a sign that she was relieved that Jack felt better.

Bunny couldn't stop smiling, and he turned back to Jack, who was still glaring at him, trying hard to hide a smirk and failing completely.

But then the tiredness hit the boy like a runaway freight train.

Lucky Bunny was there to catch him, he supposed.

"Whoa, hold up Snowflake," the pooka said, quickly putting one of the boy's arms over his shoulder, "Don't break yer nose as well as everything else, ya gumby."

Jack just laughed, and even though it hurt his ribs, it felt good to smile, to be happy again.

And Bunny couldn't help it, but as he looked down at the laughing boy, a worry slithered through his mind like a fanged serpent.

Just how powerful _was _he?

**The end... FOR NOW. EHEHEHEHE.**

**Seriously though, this is the end of the Blood And Ice Arc. I will be making more components to it in the future though, investigating Jack's powers some more and having him show off a little (cos let's face it, he deserves that much.) But you'll have to wait for those! :D**

**Replies! :3**

**angel grayson: I'd probably try to bust a move and end up doing the robot like a middle-aged man who thinks he's cool :/ I HAVE NO DANCING ABILITY. **

**SparklyWaffles: Don't die! D:**

**snowflake1814: 'Oh My Pretzels'. That's the best saying ever and now I'm going to go and use it in real life :D**

**Lovepuppy316: -noms on cookies- 8D And I probably would've done that... if Jack could dance xD**

**Thanks to:**

**Guest**

**Nanu Kitty**

**RizReviewer**

**Sirens in the water**

**Review make me happy - just a hint! Also, I might give you another chapter today if I get enough ;D**


	9. Practice

**Practice**

**Warnings: Violence (but the good kind! XD)**

**Rating: T**

**Genre: General**

**Characters: Jack + Bunny**

**Summary: Jack asked and he received. And Bunny got a whole lot more than what he'd been expecting.**

****NOTE****

**Jack has already proven that his staff is just a conduit of his power and that (in dire situations) he can just use his bear hands. Please remember that for this chapter ^_^ **

"Ready, Frostbite?"

"Always."

The two Guardians glared at one another from across the lengths of the huge hall they were in, each pulling themselves in to their favoured fighting stances.

"Rules?" The boy questioned, throwing a challenging smirk at the pooka, which he gladly returned.

"No weapons and no dirty fighting," Bunny repeated the words he had spoken earlier, eyeing Jack's crook nestled in the corner, along with his boomerangs and pouch, filled to the brim with egg bombs, "Other than tha', all's fair game."

"No holds barred?" Jack questioned, rolling his shoulders, eager to begin.

"No holds barred. Oh, and Jack?"

"Yeah, Bunny?"

The pooka grinned competitively, "Try to keep up."

"Whatever, kangaroo." The winter spirit retorted, before tensing, ready for the countdown.

"Three..."

Jack's smirk disappeared, his eyes becoming focused and sharp.

"Two..."

He drank in every ounce of what the pooka was doing. His emerald eyes too were focused, his paws clenched. The pooka was a formidable opponent, that was for sure...

"One..."

But what gave the kangaroo away was the minuscule twitch in his left thigh as the muscle and sinew tensed, preparing themselves for a bound forwards to the right (Jack's left) and already, the boy knew the pooka's first move before he'd even made it.

"Go!"

Jack snapped in to action quicker than the Bunny could blink. He was sure he would've caught the white haired spirit off guard with and right leap and a spinning kick, but he jumped out of the way before the pooka's large foot could even begin to hit its target.

The six foot tall bunny skidded across the floor with a screech of paw pad on wood, and just as he turned around, he felt a strange wave of energy tickle his whiskers. Before he knew it, he'd received a kick to the face that sent him reeling backwards.

He landed with a thud on the floor, his nose hurting just as much as his pride. His paw reached up and rubbed his right eye, which protested painfully at the contact.

"Whoa, Bunny, you ok?"

The pooka opened his eyes and looked up at the skinny nuisance holding out a hand. He glared up at the kid, the scrawny, pale kid that had just floored him in twenty seconds flat, and grumbled something along the lines of "I wasn' ready yet."

Jack had trouble hiding his smug grin.

Reluctantly, the grumpy pooka took the hand, glaring at the boy's smug look. He had half a mind to knock it right off of his face-

His somewhat violent thoughts were interrupted, however, when he felt a jolt zigzag its way through his skin as he grabbed Jack's hand. Surprise flitted across the pooka's features. It felt like... _static_. But Bunny knew it wasn't, because of that smell. That same smell. The scent of ozone crackling in the air.

Even though it had been a month since the ice figure incident, Bunny still remembered every moment vividly, as much as he'd like to forget some.

The moment of energy and power that night four weeks ago still stood out to the pooka like a sore thumb. Not just because it had shown the potential that resided deep within the winter spirit, but because...

It had made Bunny feel _fear_ again.

Bunny hadn't felt fear in over three hundred years. Not even Pitch had managed it - and he was the _Spirit _of Fear. It was his _occupation _to make others frightened.

And he meant proper fear. Not the type of fear a child got before an exam, or the fear of eating food that one of the elves had cooked, oh no.

No, he meant real, gut wrenching, heart-stopping, blood-curdling fear.

And of all people to make him feel it, it had to be Jack.

The Guardians had gone on from that day trying to improve Jack's self confidence, and so far had been so good. Jack began healing too, and as soon as he'd recuperated, he'd almost immediately asked the Guardian of Hope to train with him, to help him practice. And of course, Bunny had agreed. But only for three reasons.

The first was that he'd made a promise to Jack that he would.

The second was to see if he could investigate the power he had felt radiate off of the boy a month ago. Investigate why he had feared Jack so much in that second of power on that night.

And finally, he was curious. Curious to see how well he could fight, curious to see how far his power could stretch.

And apparently he could fight well, Bunny concluded grudgingly.

He glanced at Jack, who was looking up at the tall Guardian with a small amount of guilt in his eyes.

"Sorry Bunny, I didn't mean-"

The pooka cut him off, holding up a paw, "No holds barred, Frostbite. Tha's what I said."

The boy's brows raised, an eager grin curving itself across his face. He nodded, and began to walk back over to his starting position.

"Wait there a second, I wanna see somethin' firs'."

Confused, Jack faced the pooka again, taking a few steps toward him.

"What?" The boy questioned, genuinely curious. What was so important that Bunny had to stop practice?

"When ya kicked me," the pooka began, absently rubbing the side of his face, "What did ya do?"

The boy was only baffled by the question. "I... kicked you. What is there to explain about that?"

The pooka shook his head, ears swishing slightly atop his head a little. "Nah, just before it. I felt somethin', like a - a build up of energy," he stared at Jack, trying to figure it out, "It sorta... crackled. In tha air."

No sign that the kid knew what he was talking about. Bunny sighed.

This was gonna be a _long _day.

"Okay Jack," he said, stepping forwards, his arms out either side of him, his remaining dignity going down the toilet, "Kick me."

"What?" Jack asked, looking the pooka up and down as though he were crazy, "But - we're not fighting!"

"Just do it!"

The boy eyed him cautiously, wondering if this was some kind of trick to catch him off guard. Deciding it wasn't, he sighed, and prepared himself, and in those few seconds, Bunny tried to analyse the boy from head to toe.

_Okay, fighter's stance, that's normal,_ he thought to himself, _Clenched fists, yep, pretty normal..._

But then he saw it. A small, minuscule detail that would've gone completely unnoticed if he hadn't being paying the closest attention.

Jack's eyes were glowing.

_Glowing_.

Faint, sure, but the icy blue seemed to be illuminated with a bright light, and the more the boy concentrated, the brighter it got.

"Jack," Bunny whispered, holding his hands out, "Hold it right there."

Surprise lit up the boy's features for a moment, and the glow dimmed a little. "Bunny, why-?"

"Keep concentrating, ya gumby!"

Feeling like a fool, Jack froze (no pun intended) in the spot where he was, trying to hold on to the focus he'd had just moments before, but it was difficult. Like trying to hold on to water with his bare hands.

It was even more difficult when the pooka stood closer and began examining his eyes.

"How..." The pooka murmured, fascination in his emerald eyes, "How is that even possible?"

"_What_?" The spirit asked, a little angry now.

The outburst only caused his eyes to glow brighter, and Bunny to back away a little.

The pooka gulped, looking Jack dead in his glowing blue eyes.

"Jack mate," the pooka began, his voice quiet and just a little awe-struck, "I dunno how ta say it, but... Yer eyes are glowin'."

There was a beat of silence, so quiet and so loud at the same time that Bunny could swear he was going deaf.

_"What?!"_

**Ehehehe, I just love ending it at the most awesome parts don't I?**

**And, in case you hadn't guessed, this is somewhat a continuation of Blood And Ice. Why? BECAUSE I'M THE HUMAN EMBODIMENT OF PURE GENEROSITY, THAT'S WHY.**

**And what the heck, I felt like you guys deserved it ^_^ 50 reviews! It just calls for a double chapter celebration! :D**

**Galimatias: Just an idea now oneshot :D**

**Eternal She-Wolf: Oh my goodness, finally someone who had the exact same thoughts as me! In my opinion, it was a bit annoying how they didn't give Jack a moment of glory in the end battle - all that wasted potential :( If there's anything I have to nit-pick about the movie, it would probably be that. Thanks for your review! ^_^ **

**Sparkly Waffles: You'll have to wait and see ;D**

**Raver's Spirit: Somewhat terrifying is what it shall be ;]**

**Thanks to:**

**Nanu Kitty**

**snowflake1814**

**E **

**Review please! They make me smile :D**


	10. Sketchbook

**Warnings: None**

**Rating: K**

**Genre: General**

**Characters: Jack + Sandy + Tooth**

**Summary: Everyone has their secrets. Some are just a little more heart-breaking than others.**

Sandy was glad that he didn't talk.

Not only was it quite peaceful, but it meant people tended to listen to him more than most, as ironic as that was.

But it also meant that he saw things that others didn't.

For example, every Thursday in the lower part of North's workshop, the Yetis would gather in the evening and play poker in secret. And every once in a while Bunny would talk to his eggs when he thought he was alone. And Tooth sang to herself sometimes as she fluttered around her Palace, going about her daily duties.

And Jack... Well, Jack sketched.

A lot, in fact.

The Guardian of Dreams had wondered countless times why no-one else had noticed.

The golden man would see him a every now and then when passing the boy's room in the Complex if he'd left the door open. He'd be on his bed, sketchbook propped against his knees, tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration, a pencil or two tucked behind his ear.

He would draw outside in the snow, quite content sitting in a pile of snowflakes under the night sky. He would draw when he was sat in trees, shaded by their thick branches. He kept the tatty old sketchbook, leather-bound with him wherever he went, concealed underneath his hoodie.

Even if he was gone for hours, no-one would notice. They all just assumed he was out and about, causing mischief across the globe and creating snow days for children everywhere.

But he was drawing. All the time.

_It only made sense,_ Sandy had thought to himself, _how else would he be able to bring pictures to life if those pictures weren't any good? _

All of these thoughts drifted through the Sandman's head as he wandered through the halls of the Complex, intent on asking the boy about his drawings.

He had just reached the boy's room when he stopped dead in his tracks.

A quiet murmuring, so quiet that Sandy had to strain to hear it, was floating through Jack's half-open bedroom door.

Intrigued, the Guardian floated closer, placing a gentle hand on the door frame as he peered in to the room.

Jack was sat on his bed - nothing out of the ordinary there - but his sketch-pad was on the opposite side, facing him. His legs were crossed, and he stared at the sketch-pad intently, as if he were willing the drawings in it to come to life.

"You'd love it, ya know," he carried on, his voice bittersweet, "All of this - but we never got a chance, huh?"

Sandy watched the boy, a dimly lit sadness swimming through his golden orbs; why did Jack sound so unhappy?

"I wonder how you and Tooth would get on. She'd probably love you - you've always had good teeth," he laughed at the thought, "And Bunny... Heck, he'd probably try and turn you against me. Say I'm a bad influence. But he knows I'm not - not really, anyway."

The spirit sighed, his hands wiping his eyes tiredly, glancing over to the window. In the distance of the inky black sky, the moon hung in the air, bright and silvery, ever-watching.

Jack glared at it accusingly, knowing MiM could hear every word he was saying.

"Why couldn't you bring her back too?"

The moon just stared back, silent as ever.

The spirit just sighed, his glare melting off of his face as he turned back to the paper.

"It's unfair. Why is it so unfair, Rosie?"

_Rosie?_ Sandy thought to himself, _Who...?_

The Guardian's brow furrowed in confusion, looking back up at the boy who was still staring at his sketch-pad.

The man debated for a second, biting his lip as he glanced between Jack and his sketchbook for a moment. Should he or shouldn't he?

A small sphere of flowing sand gathered at his fingertips, and silently, he breathed it in to the room.

Immediately, it found its target. Within moments, Jack was fast asleep, golden dolphins swimming around his head happily like playful children. With a light thud, the boy fell back on to his covers, a smile on his face as he slept.

Sandy felt a twinge of guilt as he stared at the boy sleeping peacefully. Maybe he shouldn't bother... It was an invasion of privacy, after all.

But Jack had sounded so sad when he had spoken of this 'Rosie'. Sandy wanted to see what was wrong with the boy.

Tentatively, the man floated in to the room, soundlessly, landing at the end of Jack's bed. His eyes turned to the tiny book, and as if it were made of the most delicate glass on earth, he picked it up.

The girl on the page was this 'Rosie' person, he knew that much. But the Sandman hadn't ever seen her before; he rarely ever got to see the many children he gave dreams to. But whoever she was, she must've been captured perfectly in the gray lines of the graphite pencil Jack had used. She was young - seven, eight maybe? - and judging by the shading, her hair was a similar colour to brown, and her eyes were wide and alight with wonder. A smile was curved on to the child's face so perfectly that it looked like a black and white photograph.

The man couldn't help but smile at Jack's handiwork - he was as much a master of pencils as he was of ice.

The Sandman turned, book in his arms. He closed the covers so the sketches inside wouldn't become damaged - that was the last thing he wanted to do. If he was very quick, he could probably get the book back to Jack before he even woke up.

Casting one last guilty look over his shoulder at the boy sleeping peacefully on the bed, he slipped quietly out of the bedroom door, trails of sand following in his wake.

He was going to pay Tooth Palace a visit.

"I don't understand Sandy, what are you trying to say?"

Irritably, Sandy showed the fairy the drawing again, before creating a miniature Jack above his head, pencil in hand.

Apparently, the golden man must've 'spoken' a little slower that time, because Tooth's eyes widened a little, her small hands reaching out towards the tatty book.

"Jack drew this?" She asked, admiring the sketch, "May I...?"

Sandy gave her the book.

She brushed her slender fingers across the paper, a nearly inaudible gasp escaping her lips. "I recognise her!"

Sandy grinned, and nodded vigorously, motioning for Tooth to give the sketchbook back. Somewhat reluctantly, the fairy handed it back, giving the Guardian of Dreams an odd look.

He rolled his eyes, before pointing at the book, then pointing at his head; a figure sat there, the vague outlines of his face showing easily that he was sad as he stared at a book hovering in front of him.

Just like that, something in Tooth's head clicked.

"This... girl makes Jack sad...?" She asked the small man, unsure of her answer. Again, he nodded, different pictures flashing far too fast above his head for Tooth to understand.

But Tooth was lost in deep thought as the image of the girl swam in her head. A conversation from what felt like years ago arose in her head, and slowly the pieces fell in to place.

_"I had a mother, a father... and a little sister."_

_"Rose, her name was. Or Rosie. She liked Rosie more."_

"Sandy..." She began, her mind reeling, "I... I think this is Jack's sister."

Surprise lit up the mans face, as if to say _'He had a sister?'_

"But I can't be sure - not yet, anyway," Tooth began, fluttering up from where she sat, starting to 'pace', "We... We need to check her memories. That's the only way, unless we ask Jack... but I don't think we want to do that... Sandy, what do we do?"

The small man thought for a moment. All of it was really prying in to Jack's privacy; but how else would they fight his demons?

He considered for a moment to just let it all wash over - to let Jack deal with it on his own. After three hundred years, it must be much easier and a lot less embarrassing to sort out your own problems, rather than receive help from others...

But as Tooth stared at him, waiting for an answer, worry in her violet eyes, Sandy knew that this wasn't going to 'wash over' any time soon.

Hastily, the Guardian produced some pictures above his head. Tooth nodded, and motioned for him to follow her through the halls of her palace.

They were going to find some memories.

**Gaahhh, sorry about the updates! I haven't had WiFi for five days.**_** Five days.**_** DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE FOR PEOPLE WITH NO SOCIAL LIFE?!**

**-calms down- Well, anyways, hope you like this (soon to be) twoshot ^_^ I thought I should give you guys something different for once, and I haven't used Sandy much, so I thought "Why not?" And here's the result :D Ta-Da!**

**On a completely random note, could you please check out the song "I'm Still Here" by John Rzeznik? The more I listen to it, the more I think 'Whoa, this describes Jack so much it's scary o.O'**

**Replying :D**

**Eternal She-Wolf: It was a fast update, wasn't it? Sorta makes up for the lateness of this one x_X And yes, I love that idea! I may steal it later on, 'cause c'mon... Pitch has to get involved at some point, right? ;D**

**summerbreezeplease: The good ones are always fictional :'(**

**Guest: I've always been fascinated by his powers and just how far they can stretch; and this curiosity, plus Fanfiction will hopefully equal epicosity! :D**

**RizReviewer: That's very generous for me, ya know :D**

**o0 Sara NekoChan 0o: Please don't lead a mob ;-;**

**Thanks to:**

**WRATH77**

**xNereikax**

**Sirens in the water**

**Maddie**

**LadyPsycho16**

**Aunna**

**Cocoaflower**

**Lovepuppy316**


	11. Sketchbook Part II

**Warnings: None**

**Rating: K+**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort**

**Character(s): Human!Jack + Rosie + Tooth + Sandy**

**Summary: Memories are supposed to be sweet and nostalgic; they're meant to give people hope in dire situations and desperate times. But sometimes, a trip down memory lane doesn't always end in smiles...**

"Ready Sandy?"

The man nodded, biting his lip a little as he placed a hand gingerly over the tiny golden box, as though it might bite him.

"Okay... Well, now or never, I suppose."

And with that, the world went black as they plunged in to Rosie's memories.

They were in a forest. That was the first thing Sandy noticed.

It was very beautiful; the trees were the tall pines you usually got in Burgess, and they were spread all around the small clearing Tooth and Sandy had landed in. It was that odd time between night and day, the sun setting in the distance. How did he know it was setting? Well, he was the Sandman; he had to know about this kind of thing...

Somewhere to the Sandman's right, he heard the Fairy's voice. "Are you alright Sandy? Sometimes the transition from reality to memory can leave your brain a bit fuzzy-"

The man nodded quickly, holding up a hand to cut her off. For a moment, Tooth looked a little affronted; she was only trying to help...

She had been about to ask why Sandy had done that - but then she heard the sobbing.

Her violet eyes drifted over to a tree on the edge of the clearing. It was a massive oak, probably chopped down in the present day. Its trunk was at least twice as wide as North, and its roots seemed to stretch across the ground forever, like an endless spider web.

The sobbing seemed to be coming from the tangled roots, by the shadowed base of the tree. Confused, and maybe a little scared, she followed the Guardian of Dream's lead and fluttered over to peer behind the ancient tree.

A girl, about four or five was crying quietly as she leant against the tree, her head buried in her knees, surrounded by wild strands of chestnut hair, shoulders shaking. She kept murmuring stuttered words under her breath, but Tooth couldn't tell what she was saying.

A maternal instinct was suddenly very alive and kicking in the fairy. She wanted to go to the girl, stop her crying, and, subconsciously, she reached a hand out towards her...

"Rosie?!"

The fairy froze, and she and Sandy turned to where the voice had come from.

More desperate, the voice cut through the trees like a knife. "Rosie?! Rosie! ROSIE!"

As the voice became louder, Sandy could've sworn that he knew it from somewhere... It was rough, but an octave or two higher than the man knew it should have been...

Suddenly, it clicked, and he could've face-palmed for being so oblivious.

It was Jack! Who else would it be?

Except... He sounded younger. A lot younger, in fact.

Without warning, the bushes seemed to erupt and a boy, no older than twelve, burst through the foliage, tears running down his face, brown eyes scared and desperate. The two Guardians snapped around at the sound, squinting through the dark to see the new arrival.

It took a few seconds for the them to realize that it was Jack they were staring at.

He was at least a foot smaller than what they were used to, and his face was younger, a blotchy red from running so much. An unruly mop of dark brown hair sat on his head, blown everywhere from the wind howling through the trees. His feet were bare as ever, and around his shoulders was some sort of cloth, keeping him warm. Clutched in his hand was his shepherds crook, even more taller than him in the past.

"Is that...?"

Sandy nodded, answering the fairy's unspoken question, his mouth slightly agape.

It was Jack. A young Jack. A young Jack who wasn't a spirit and didn't even know the Guardians existed yet. Right here was proof that he had lived, he'd had a life before he had been pulled from a frozen lake, before he'd become Jack Frost.

They watched in mild shock as he too noticed the sobs, and practically flew over to the tree. Dropping his staff on the ground carelessly, he he leapt over the roots to his sister as fast as he could without falling flat on his face.

"Rosie!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arms tightly around her shaking form, pulling her close - Tooth felt a smile cross her face, squeezing Sandy's shoulder to make sure he was seeing what she was seeing.

Jack must have been a brilliant big brother.

But that only made his story even more heart-breaking.

"J-Jack?" The girl sniffled quietly, peeking out from under her hair, "Is that y-you?"

"Of course its me." He said softly, relief evident in his voice, "Don't ever ever do that again, you hear me?"

And he says we sound parental, thought Sandy with a smile, watching the children with warmth in his eyes and a sadness in his heart. He knew their bond was soon to be broken.

Rosie's voice broke the Guardian out of his reverie.

"But mom and dad-"

"That doesn't matter right now -" Jack interrupted her, his voice firm, "All that matters is you, running off near dark and not coming back," he stated softly, putting his chin on her head, eyes closing as he breathed in the fact that she was safe and sound. Thank God.

As the boy kept on talking, Sandy couldn't help but notice how he rocked slightly as he held his sister, "I was worried. You know what that's like?"

"I-I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't... didn't mean to." She stuttered out, looking guiltily up at her brother with startlingly similar brown eyes, "It's just... They were yelling and throwing things. I've... I've never seen them do that before..."

"I know, I know. It's... difficult to see," Jack said comfortingly, trying to choose the right words. He wasn't used to comforting people. He made them laugh, made them have fun; he didn't often see people sad.

But making people smile was his speciality. And that was what he was going to do: make her smile again. It hurt him to see her so shaken, and he was determined to change that.

And idea came in to his head, and he smiled to himself. "Rosie?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Ya know I'll never let anything happen to you, right?"

She gazed up at him, hair falling in her face, a slight smile curving across her lips, "Really?"

"Of course!" He said, enthusiasm clear in his voice as he began to lead her out of her hiding place. She took his hands and followed him out in to the clearing. Curious, Tooth and Sandy followed closely, eager to watch this version of Jack. Tooth wanted to note down every little detail and etch it in to her mind forever.

She, Sandy and Rosie watched with fascination as the boy swooped down to retrieve his staff, wielding it like a sword. He pointed it at some invisible foe to his left, a daredevil smirk carving itself on to his young face.

"I'll protect you from monsters and dragons," he proclaimed, leaping from left to right as though dodging giant claws, narrowly missing them. His sister giggled at how ridiculous her brother looked. Jack took this as a sign to keep going.

"I'll battle evil bandits to rescue you!"

He mimed battling with swords, feinting off to the side, rolling across the dirt covered ground with no regard for his clothes, before leaping up and jabbing thin air triumphantly, spinning to face his sister and taking a bow.

She laughed, her tears forgotten, and the two Guardians couldn't help but notice how Jack looked up from his bow at his sister. It was painfully obvious how much he'd wanted to make her laugh. But he wasn't done yet.

He rushed forward, gathering Rosie up in his arms as his staff was once again forgotten on the ground. She laughed even harder as Jack threw her up in the air, catching her bridal-style in his arms.

"And then I'd have to rescue you from the tallest tower, like a knight, jumping out of the window to get away from the jealous sorceress who imprisoned you!"

"Because of my beauty?" She asked, grinning like a madwoman, her small arms wrapped tightly around Jack's neck.

"Why else would a sorceress imprison a young girl?" He asked her, a genuine smile on his face. It seemed like he did that more often in the past than he did in the present, Sandy realised with a frown.

"So you'll always protect me from evil, brave night, forever and for always?"

"Yes my fair lady," he nodded, planting a kiss on her forehead, "I promise."

And then, the memory faded, falling away like dust floating in sunbeams. It streamed away until Sandy and Tooth were just floating in nothing but darkness.

Confusion lit up the Dream Giver's face, as he looked over at Tooth.

"Oh, don't worry Sandy," she said absently, her mind still on the events that she had just seen. "It's just the transition from memory to memory... sometimes it takes a while."

The man could hear clearly how far away Tooth was. He could see it to. Her usually alert eyes were misted over and far away, and her sharp movements had been replaced with slow ones, sluggish even.

But he had no time to ask what was wrong, as another memory formed around them. This time, they were just outside what looked like an old school house in the middle of a field. It looked like a miniature barn, and children were slowly trailing out of its doors. The school seemed to be closing.

"Just let me go home!"

The two Guardians spun around at the familiar voice, only to see Rosie once again. Older this time; at least seven years old.

Sandy tapped Tooth on the shoulder to grab her attention, before pointing her over to where the girl was, and together, they flew through the air to watch the memory play out before them.

She was trying walk home, but the dirt path was being blocked by two very mean looking boys, both with dirty faces and crooked smiles. The eldest of the three looked to be about thirteen years old, head covered in scruffy black hair, clothes torn and aged.

"Now, why would we ever do that, huh?" The eldest leered, sneering at the small girl's face threateningly. She stumbled backwards at the sudden movement, falling over as she stared up at the two.

Tooth clenched her fists, starting to flutter towards the two boys without really knowing what she was doing. Sandy had to grab the fairy's arm to stop her completely. He couldn't let her interfere with the memory.

"Why are you doing this to me, Joseph?" Rosie glared at the black haired boy, before staring in the other boy's direction, "Adam?" She asked again, desperation in her voice, "What have I ever done to either of you?"

"Nothin' yet," the one known as 'Adam' answered. He was shorter than Joseph, with scraggly dirty blonde hair and two chipped teeth, Tooth noticed with a scowl, "But imaging ole' Jackie boy's face when 'is sister comes 'ome with a few extra bruises, eh?"

"It'll get him back for what he did to Tom - teach him to mess with us again," Joseph grunted in his gravely voice, taking another step toward the girl. Her eyes widened, but she still tried to hold her chin up high, her fists shaking, from anger or fear - she wasn't quite sure which. But no matter what, she absolutely refused to cry.

"But, that - that was just a prank!" She defended, her gaze solid as she tried to scramble backwards, "He didn't mean to break your brother's arm-"

"Oh, shut it will ya?" Adam interrupted, his voice angry as he advanced forwards, grabbing her wrist roughly and pulling her up. He leant down to speak in her face, his rancid breath filling her nostrils, " 'E's been eyein' us lot up since the day we met 'im. 'E's just jealous that you're all poor and we're not."

Before she could hold her tongue, she retorted, "You're just scared of him! He's better than any of you will ever be!"

The outburst caused the amused smile of Joseph to drop completely. Fear flitted across the girl face as he stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. Automatically, she closed her eyes. She knew this was going to hurt. A lot, in fact.

She heard the boys laugh at her as she clenched her eyes shut, trying to prepare herself. The hand on her wrist tightened, and the laughter quietened down as the black haired boy took aim with a fist-

Except... it never hit its target.

There was a grunt, a yelp and the sound of a heavy wieght hitting the ground, and suddenly the boy's hand was ripped away from her wrist. She pulled away instinctively, falling back to the ground as she opened her eyes.

She couldn't even describe the wave of relief that washed over her as she saw Jack. He was there again, protecting her as always. She could count on him, even in the darkest of times.

But there was an anger in his eyes, she noticed, as he pinned the black haired boy against the ground with his foot on his chest.

Jack was at least fourteen now, his face more mature and his stature gradually becoming the skinny one of the Jack the Guardians knew. He'd apparently grown out of his old cloak, and had a new one tossed around his shoulders, just reaching his elbows. His hands were like large, extraordinarily pale spiders, clutching his staff tightly as he pointed it at Joseph's throat,.

But what struck Tooth the most about Jack's appearance here wasn't how different he looked - it was his eyes. They were cold, emotionless, even though they weren't their usual icy blue. And before she knew it, she was reminded of the ice figure from weeks ago, with its rock solid gaze and cold, unforgiving hands.

And, in all honesty, it scared her.

Behind the two boys, Adam gulped. Jack had just knocked both of them to the ground in five seconds flat without breaking a sweat. There was a lump on Adam's forehead from where the Jack had punched him, he was sure of it; the spreading pain only seemed to confirm the blonde boy's thoughts.

Deciding he didn't want to take a beating, especially not from a guy who was seven inches taller than him and a year and a half older, Adam scrambled up, before turning to try and make a run for it.

Out of the corner of his hazel eyes, Jack saw the movement of the coward. Almost as though it were second nature, the tall boy spun his staff over his shoulder and hooked the running boy around the legs, pulling so hard it knocked the him clean off of his feet. He fell to the ground with a thump, blonde hair swinging in his face as he looked up at his attacker with a surprised kind of terror in his eyes.

Jack paid him no heed, however, as he turned back to the black haired boy. He twirled the shepherds crook absently in his fingers, before pressing the curved end against Joseph's throat. The boy gulped, glancing between the crook and its' owner more times than he could count.

A thick blanket of silence fell over the two as Jack glared at the younger boy, who stared back up at him with scared eyes, heart beating so hard against his ribs that he thought it might burst from his chest.

Eventually, Jack uttered words that fell calmly from his lips, as sharp as knives and twice as deadly.

"You ever come near my sister again," he warned quietly, a boiling hot anger simmering beneath the surface of his voice, "You're gonna have a lot more than just bruises and broken bones to worry about."

Tooth and Sandy watched the scene in shock. Just when they thought Jack didn't have anymore surprises up his sleeved, he proved the wrong. _Again_.

A final glare was sent at Joseph, when finally the tall boy lifted up his foot, and like rats running from a cat, the two boys sprinted for the hills, promising themselves to never mess with the Overland family again. That Jack kid was crazy; mom was right. He was a danger to the village - a menace to society. Someone you should never approach.

As Jack watched the two brothers run, he let out a humourless laugh, spinning his staff absently in his hands, before he turned to face his sister, concern in his face.

She couldn't help but stare at him for a moment, as though seeing him in a completely new light.

He had been so... angry.

She'd hadn't ever seen him like that before; not once in seven years. And the most strange part was that he hadn't yelled or lost his temper once, yet somehow... somehow he'd been the most intimidating person she'd ever seen.

But she ran to him anyway. Like always.

And he gladly hugged her back, crouching down to encircle her in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder, never wanting to let him go. Not ever.

"You okay?" He whispered in to her hair, his voice hoarse. She nodded, and he sighed, gathering her up in her arms as he stood, his staff resting in the crook of his elbow.

"Let's go home, okay?" He asked her. Rosie nodded, her hands gripping his clothes tightly as he held her closely, beginning to walk barefoot down the path, glad to be going home. Sandy and Tooth followed, interest peaked; there was more to this memory than they'd assumed.

The siblings walked down the path in that pesky silence for a few more minutes, until Rosie began to speak once again.

"Jack?"

"Mmhmm?"

There was a pause as Rosie tried to figure out what to say.

"Don't... don't ever do that again, okay?"

Jack stopped dead in his tracks, nearly tripping over. He looked her in the face, brow furrowed in confusion, hair falling in to his eyes.

"Do... what?" He asked, eyebrows raised.

"Get..." She paused, biting her lip, "Get... angry."

His eyes widened a little, and then he finally saw it. Deep in her eyes when she looked at him.

She was frightened.

Of him.

Somewhere in his gut, it felt like something just... broke. Snapped clean in half, as though someone had severed it with an axe.

Feeling numb to his very fingertips, he crouched down for the second time that day, and put Rosie on the ground in front of him, placing a hand on her shoulder. She stared at her feet, wondering if she'd done something wrong.

"Rosie, look at me."

She did.

"I promised to protect you; you remember that? Two years ago?" He asked, placing a hand on the side of her face.

"I-I remember..." She answered, unsure.

"Well, I meant it," he said, trying to give what he hoped was an encouraging smile, "I still mean it. I'll keep protecting you 'till the day I die."

Sandy winced at the metaphor.

"And I'll never get angry at you, my fair lady."

The girl smiled after he said that, giving her brother a grin.

"So you remember that too, okay?" He asked her, pulling her close once again, "I'll never hurt you. Ever. And don't you forget it."

"I won't."

With that, the memory once again faded, and left Tooth and Sandy staring at the spot where Jack and Rosie had just vanished in to thin air, leaving nothing but dark space behind them.

Tooth had that faraway look again, and Sandy could've sworn she had tears in the corners of her eyes.

Floating over to her, a question mark formed over his head, his face concerned.

Looking up from her daze, she jumped as though she'd only just noticed the Sandman's presence. Her eyes drifted over to the question mark, before she looked him in the eye.

"Oh... It's just, well..." She paused, looking around as another memory slowly began forming around the two, "It must be so... difficult for him. Remembering all this and knowing he left them all behind. He... He cared for his sister so much. You just saw it for yourself," she added, her voice quiet, "And he hasn't said one thing about either. If I had known-"

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't look down - just, look at me."

Tooth stopped her talking as though she'd been stung by a wasp.

She and Sandy spun around to see Jack, the Jack that was the same age as theirs, standing on ice. Though a smile was on his face, it seemed false, and his eyes were panicked - Sandy could see the fear shining brightly in them, as if it had always been there, tucked away underneath the cheerful brown for all his life.

"Jack... I'm scared."

Both Guardians snapped around at the voice - Tooth was sure she'd get whiplash - and to their horror, they saw Rosie, ice skates on her feet, her eyes panicked.

With a gasp, Tooth pointed to Rosie's feet. Sandy looked down, only to see ice cracking beneath the blades, spreading around the girl like a deadly spider web..

Eyes wide, he looked back up at the girl, glancing between her and her big brother as the ice cracked even farther. Not many times was the small man put under stress, but this, plus the other memories he'd just witnessed...well, safe to say it made him uncomfortable at best.

From beside him, Tooth placed a hand over her mouth.

"Sandy..." She murmured, her voice shocked, "This... This is what Jack told me about," she turned to face him, her eyes wide, a single tear flowing from her eye.

"This... This is how Jack dies."

He could only stare up at her, mouth slightly agape, eyebrows raised as his heart seemed to beat out of time. She bit her lip, grasping the Sandman's hand tightly as she turned back to the memory.

"I know, I know, but you're... You're gonna be alright," Jack comforted his sister, trying to balance on the the thin ice without falling, "And you're not gonna fall in. Uhhh..." He hesitated, trying to find the right words to keep her calm, "...We're gonna have a little fun instead."

Sandy felt his stomach plummet at those words.

"No we're not!" Rosie argued, slipping on the ice.

"Would I trick you?" He asked, trying to make her calmer by speaking with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Yes, you always play tricks!"

"Oh, alright," he laughed, but his eyes still showed his how scared he was. Of all the situations he'd ever been in this was by far the worst. If anything happened to her...

He didn't know what he would do.

He knew if he stayed quiet for too long, Rosie would start panicking again.

"Well... Not -not this time, I promise, I promise." He said, sliding across the ice, "You're gonna be... You're gonna be fine. You..."

He paused, looking her in the eyes, his heart beating faster as the cracks became longer.

"You have to believe in me."

A broken sob escaped Tooth as she sank to the ground, hands over her face. Sandy stood next to her, rubbing circles on her back as he continued to watch the events unfold in front of him, like some sort of twisted play.

"You wanna play a game?" Jack said suddenly, a false enthusiasm in his voice, "We're gonna play hopscotch! Like we do every day. Its as easy as one..."

Sandy flinched in unison with Jack as the ice cracked beneath his foot, but he couldn't help the sad smile that formed on his lips as the boy pretended to slip, making his sister laugh one last time.

"Two..."

He took another step.

"Three!" Jack stopped on the thick ice, safe for the time being. He reached over and grabbed his staff; Sandy hadn't noticed it there before, lying on the ice. He was too concentrated on what was happening in front of his eyes.

"Alright... Now it's your turn..."

Unsure, Rosie took a step forward, gasping as the surface cracked beneath her.

"One -that's it, that's it - two,"

She took one last step, and suddenly Jack leapt forward, catching her around the waist with his crook and launching her across the ice, shouting "Three!" As she slid on the lake.

The momentum sent the boy flying backwards to where Rosie had been standing, and Sandy suddenly found it very hard to keep watching.

But Jack smiled, and so did Rosie, and for a moment, Sandy could believe everything would be alright for Jack. For a moment, the Dream Giver could believe that he would live on and have a family, and not spend three hundred years alone.

But that was only for a moment.

A sound that tore right through Sandy's ears rippled through the air, and Jack disappeared from view. Tooth could only sob harder as Rosie ran forward, yelling her brother's name.

"Jack!"

The girl fell to her knees, staring in to the dark depths of the water, tears beginning to fall down her face.

"Jack! Jack - stop it!" She yelled at the water, her hand pounding against the ice. She wouldn't believe it - it wasn't true. Jack was not dead. He promised. He promised he would protect her, forever and for always. He couldn't just leave her-

But he just had. He couldn't protect her, not now.

Jack was dead. Her brother. Her closest friend, the only one she could confide in, was dead.

Numb from both sadness and cold, she cried, hitting the ice half-heartedly, repeating the same thing over and over again.

"Jack... Come back... Jack, please... Please!"

He would though. He was always there for her.

Except now.

Who knows how long she sat there - it could've been anything from a minute to a week, but she didn't care.

Her Jack was gone.

And he wasn't coming back.

**Oh my LORD that is the LONGEST oneshot I have ever written. 4375 words! OH MY PRETZELS.**

**Its one in the morning over here in England as I edit and type this, and I think my fingers have been reduced to stubs from typing so much. I can't wait to go to sleep ;_;**

**The next chapter will be the continuation of Sketchbook, then it's back to Jack and his awesome badassery and fighting skills! YAY! Not to mention, a couple other oneshots written from suggestions sent it by some readers. DOUBLE YAY!**

***Also, please excuse any weird typos - I'm very, very tired.**

**Replies!**

**Sparkly Waffles: I'm not sure... If you reviewed as 'Guest' then yeah, because there was only one person labelled as 'Guest'. Thanks for reviewing ^_^**

**E: It's a lot stronger than MiM realises, that for sure :D**

**JustPlainOldMe: I now absolutely adore the songs 'Shadow Days', 'Echo' and 'Some Nights'. Thank you for being my personal Messiah; I don't know how I suvived without these songs o_o And high five for being drawing fanatics! :D**

**Snow FlowerFrost: You will indeed get to see them confronting Jack about the lake! :D and thank you for the review :3**

**Lovepuppy316: For someone who doesn't write, you have some pretty epic ideas. Now I have to try my hardest not to steal that idea -kekekekeke-**

**feathered moon wings: It's almost supernatural. I'm still not sure if I like it, but I keep going back to it so I it must be good :o**

**snowflake1814: You too? Don't worry, we can be 'No-Lifers' together -nod nod-**

**QuillOwl: Oh my gosh yes it does! I love Echo :D**

**Thanks to:**

**MartialArtsDancer**

**guest131297**

**Aunna**

**Eternal She-Wolf**

**Alaia Skyhawk**


	12. Sketchbook III

**Sketchbook III**

**Warnings: Nope. Nada. **

**Rating: K**

**Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Angst**

**Character(s): Jack + Tooth + Sandy**

**Summary: Not once, in over four hundred years had the Sandman cried. But after witnessing the death of one so young... what are you supposed to do?**

"I-I don't think I can watch anymore, Sandy..."

Sandy turned to the distraught fairy, glad to have an excuse to stop watching the scene laid out in front of him. It broke his heart and twisted it round and round; he didn't know how much more he could take.

He nodded his agreement as a numb kind of shock spread through his body, un-shed tears in the corners of his golden eyes. Not once, in over four hundred years, had he cried...

Over his head, he produced a wobbly image of a house, message clear; _'Let's go home.'_

Numbly, Tooth nodded, grasping the tooth she had been holding even tighter, gathering up her will to get out of this memory.

When she opened her eyes again, she was on her knees on the floor of Tooth Palace, or (more specifically) the Tooth Storage Hall.

Like every other aspect of the palace, it was grand with high ceilings and golden support beams, with beautifully painted pictures spread around the hall like slowly blossoming flowers.

In the hall itself were piles upon piles of organized tooth boxes. The little golden containers were piled high, nearly brushing the ceiling, and they were all ordered alphabetically, thanks to the tedious work of the Mini Fairies.

But the glimmering piles of the metal canisters were unnoticed as Tooth stared at Rosie's tooth in her hand, an open tooth box nearby with Rosie's face printed on to it. Next to it was the sketchbook, still open on Jack's most recent drawing, just as the two Guardians had left it.

"Now I know why Manny chose him..." She said slowly, staring at the teeth in her hand like they were precious gems (which, of course, they were), "He cared _so _much."

Grimly, Sandy nodded, placing a small hand on her shoulder. He had already known that Jack cared, and he believed Tooth already had as well, but to see him risk and then _give _his life for his little sister... It was overwhelming at best.

The Sandman didn't know how long they sat there - usually he was good with time, considering his occupation, but... those memories had shook him to the very core. He didn't know how to react. His fingers were nu£b; it felt as though he were apart from his body, floating a sea of thoughts and sadness.

It was only when the sunlight, warm and welcoming, began to flood through the vaulted windows did he relinquish his hold on the fairys' shoulder. The light coaxed the Sandman out of his stupor, and suddenly, he remembered he needed to get the book back to Jack before he woke.

Gently, he nudged Tooth. She looked up at him blearily, her eyes red and bloodshot.

A picture formed above his head; a clock, ticking faster and faster. He leant down and picked up the tattered book, tapping it with his fingers before he made another picture. One of Jack laying down, eyes closed.

She raised a brow, here eyes widening slightly. "You took this without permission...?"

A little shamefully, the man nodded, his eyes roaming over the floor. Maybe he shouldn't have taken it at all; perhaps it was better if he hadn't seen anything...

Tooth could only give him an understanding look, as if to say 'I-know-why-you-did-it'. Unwillingly, she unfolded her gossamer wings and hovered upwards, placing Rosie's teeth in their correct place, before turning to Sandy with sad eyes.

"We'd better get it back to him before he wakes up then."

A fast flight later, the two were hovering down the halls of North's complex. Sandy could just about hear the yetis beginning to wake up and start their work on toys. North would probably already be awake, bossing them around in the workshop with his booming voice.

They didn't pay much attention to that fact, however, for the door to Jack's room suddenly came in to view as they turned a corner, the light blue hues of it seeming darker and darker as the pair walked toward it. The word 'foreboding', came to mind.

Tooth bit her lip as they landed just outside; a strange feeling crept around her stomach like an alley cat - something akin to guilt and a motherly need to comfort the boy mixed together like some absurd tornado. It made her feel ill.

Sharing one last guilty look with Sandy, her delicate fingers rested on the door handle, pushing it open as quietly as she could. The hinges sounded like gunshots in the silence.

She poked her head around, eyes squinting in to the dark.

"Umm, Sandy...? Was it like this when you left?"

The Sandman looked up in confusion, before he too peered in to the room.

What met his eyes was not the tidy room with a sleeping boy on the bed which he had left, but an absolute wreck instead. The covers were strewn across the bed; all the dresser's drawers were open or on the floor, their contents scattered across the ground. There were even patches of ice on some parts of the walls, and Sandy could tell just by their pattern that the winter spirit had not been happy when he had created them.

Jacks' pale form was nowhere to be seen; his staff too had disappeared from the room along with its wielder, proving the boy's disappearance.

Sandy's eyes widened as he flew urgently in to the room, pupils darting left and right. He spun to face Tooth and shook his head.

"Then this is probably very bad then...?"

He nodded, pictures poofing in to existence over his head. Jack, a magnifying glass and a bright warning sign. The fairy took a moment to register what those symbols meant, before nodding.

They were going on a Jack hunt.

Eventually, they found him. He was storming through (the otherwise empty) mail room. Paper was flying all around - mostly old letters from children who had long since grown up and stopped believing - creating a swarm of "Dear Santa"s to fly past Sandy and Tooth in a patchy blur.

Jack himself let out an irritated growl, dropping his staff and turning to punch the wall. As his knuckles hit the solid surface, all that could be heard was a faint crunching sound - the sound of breaking plaster. Tooth visibly flinched.

Jack rested against the wall for a moment, his fist still against the dent he had made, panting. After a moment, he seemed to notice there were other people in the room; he snapped around, the paper fluttering down to meet the ground once again. As his eyes landed on the two surprised Guardians, a look passed across his features - like a child who'd just been caught sneaking cookies out of the biscuit jar.

"Oh... Hey," he greeted weakly, waving as though he hadn't just put a hole in the wall. He seemed to catch sight of the mess, as he added, "I'll, uh, clean up. I promise."

But as Tooth stared at his face, the very same face she had seen mere hours before, drowning in icy cold water, Tooth found she couldn't contain herself. Ignoring the mess, she fluttered forwards, gripping him in a hug so tight that he couldn't breathe.

"Uhhh, Tooth?" He questioned, deeply confused, "I just wrecked an entire room and you're hugging me. I think that's sorta teaching me the wrong lesson here."

Tooth just smiled against his hoodie; he managed to be so happy and upbeat all the time, even with his memories hanging over him wherever he went. It was amazing, and she admired him even more because of it.

As Jack endured the rib-cracking hug, he gazed over the fairys' shoulder. His eyes found Sandy stood at the door, clutching what looked like a very familiar, very old, leather-bound book...

Without really knowing what he was doing, Jack shrugged off Tooth's hug and seemed to drift over to the Sandman like a ghost, his icy-blue eyes clouded with confusion.

"Sandy...?"

A guilty flicker of emotion flashed across the short mans' face, and he slowly lifted the book, dropping it in to Jack's' waiting hands.

"Jack-"

"Why do you... have this?" Jack interrupted the fairy, his voice curious, hurt even. Tooth nearly felt like crying as the sound of betrayal rippled through the room.

Cautiously, Sandy raised his hand in order to get the boys' attention, a series of images flashing above his head; Jack staring at a book as he sat on his bed - Sandy then taking the book and showing it to Tooth - Tooth then opening a very familiar looking box, before being surrounded by what looked like a golden tornado swirling out of the box and engulfing both Sandy and the fairy. The messages were clear enough:

'I took your sketchbook.'

'We looked at Rosies' memories.'

'We know how you _died, _Jack.'

And that lone bit of information made Jack feel extremely vulnerable. Like part of him had been exposed. He may have already told Tooth, but for them to _see _his death was a whole different matter. For _him _to even see his own death was disturbing, let alone _other _people.

As Sandy finished 'talking', a hefty silence fell over the room, each individual unsure of what to do next. Each person tried to not make eye contact with anyone else, for fear of being judged.

Unable to take it anymore, Jack began to walk out, his footsteps echoing through the air like thunder claps. But as his hand brushed the doorway, a voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

"You were a very good brother, you know."

The winter spirit turned to see Tooth, her thumbs twiddling as she looked at the ground. She hovered a little closer.

"She really loved you. So much." The fairy said, a faint smile playing across her lips at Jacks' surprised expression. Sandy looked between the two, smiling as he hovered out of their way.

"R-really?" The boy found his voice working of its own accord, as his eyes grew wide, his feet turning the rest of him away from the door.

"Of course!" Tooth said, now hovering close enough to put her hands on his shoulders and look him in the eyes, "She loved you with all her heart. You were her best friend. I could _feel _it - when in another persons' memories, empathy isn't uncommon. I experienced everything she felt towards you," she paused, smiling at the way Jacks' eyes were lit up, an eyebrow raised in silent question, "Love, admiration, and a need for closeness. You were her strength, Jack. For one person to be anothers' strength - now that really _is _rare. And you were hers, Jack. You were her strength."

But, rather than widening, the boys' smile faltered as he stared downwards, "But, if she relied on me so much, then what happened after I-"

"Jack," the fairy interjected, her tone taking on a stern edge, "I don't think you quite undertsand. You see," she took a breath, her voice becoming soft as her violet eyes locked with sharp blue, "Strength doesn't ever _leave _a person - not really. It can be changed, it can be morphed, it can be broken and healed, all in the same day - but it is never gone. I believe that Rosie kept her 'strength' with her for the rest of her life, knowing it was what you would've wanted. She held on to her memory of you, I'm sure of it."

Then, the boy said something neither Guardian had anticipated.

"Can... Can I see her? Memories, I mean..."

Tooth and Sandy shared a look, a small smile lighting up the small mans' face as he nodded. The fairy grinned, hookinh an arm around Jacks' own.

"I think you have a lot to catch up on, SweetTooth..."

**Ehhhh, I really don't like how this chapter turned out -_- I may write a follow up at some point, but it's highly unlikely. **

**Anyways, I AM SO SORRY. This is the crappy update you've been waiting two months for (nice going Gurrbill X.x) **

**You see, I've been moving. To a flat. Six stair cases up. WITH ALL MY FURNITURE. **

**Yeaa... Hasn't been fun. Even if my muse hadn't conked out on me, I still wouldn't have been able to update (no internet for THREE WEEKS *cries*)**

**So yes, apologies. Gurrbill will go kick herself repeatedly for an hour now. **

**Thanks to:**

**Sheeijan**

**kyuubecky**

**MartialArtsDancer**

**Maddie**

**Shun-Kazami Girl**

**Don't touch my Seaweed Brain**

**RizReviewer**

**Eternal She-Wolf**

**Guest **

**Nanu Kitty**

**JustPlainOldMe**

**writer142**

**Cayran**

**E**

**SparklyWaffles**

**Lovepuppy316**

**QuillOwl**

**(I didn't do any replies because I wanted to publish this chapter A.S.A.P)**


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